On 26 March 2024, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, met with H.E. Mr. Alounkeo Kittikhoun, Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, during the latter’s visit to Thailand.

Vice Foreign Minister Sihasak updated Special Envoy Alounkeo on the progress of the initiative between Thailand and Myanmar to scale up humanitarian assistance for the people of Myanmar along the Thai-Myanmar border, which was supported by all ASEAN member states at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, on 29 January 2024, as part of the ASEAN’s collective effort to advance the implementation of the 5-Point Consensus.

On 25 March 2024, the Thai Red Cross Society handed over the relief items for the pilot project to the Myanmar Red Cross Society, with the participation of local agencies and communities on both sides of the border as well as representatives of the AHA Centre as observer. The distribution at the pilot areas in Kayin State was subsequently carried out by representatives of the Myanmar Red Cross Society together with leaders of local Karen communities, as well as with the technical support from the AHA Centre to ensure that the assistance reaches all the affected people in these areas in an effective, credible and transparent manner.

Special Envoy Alounkeo welcomed the successful handover of humanitarian assistance for the Myanmar people with Thai and Myanmar Red Cross Societies playing a leading role. He expressed his hope that this humanitarian initiative would be built upon in order to expand the scope to cover more areas along the Thailand – Myanmar border in the future.