Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand and Myanmar State Counsellor discussed matters of mutual interest of the two countries, including cooperation on COVID-19, labour, trade and investment promotion and cross-border issues, ahead of Myanmar's upcoming general elections.

On 5 November 2020, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, had a telephone conversation with H.E. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

Prime Minister Prayut reaffirmed Thailand’s support for a free, fair and transparent general elections scheduled on 8 November 2020 in Myanmar and expressed hope that the elections be held successfully in a safe and peaceful manner. Prime Minister Prayut also expressed Thailand’s readiness to continue working closely with Myanmar in all areas of common interests.

The State Counsellor expressed her appreciation to the Royal Thai Government for the generous support and contributions to Myanmar’s endeavour to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. She also thanked the Royal Thai Government for facilitating the repatriation of Myanmar nationals affected by COVID-19 back to Myanmar. On this note, Prime Minister Prayut reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to further support Myanmar’s efforts in combating COVID-19 upon Myanmar’s request.

Prime Minister Prayut and the State Counsellor shared the view that bilateral trade and investment needed to be urgently promoted to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the local economies. Both sides also agreed to work closely to promote their economic activities and jointly address any business difficulties through consultations.

On labour cooperation, the two sides discussed the possibility of extending the expired work permits for Myanmar workers who wish to continue working in Thailand during the COVID-19 situation. Both sides also discussed the operation of the Temporary Data Collection Centre in Samut Sakhon Province.

Both sides agreed to work closely to address the existing cross-border issues, including transboundary haze, human trafficking, illegal workers, and narcotic drugs.

--------------