Thailand's new PM scolds Western nations for picking on Myanmar's ruling junta

The Associated Press
March 16, 2008

BANGKOK, Thailandz: Thailand's new prime minister said Sunday that Westerners are overly critical of Myanmar and he has newfound respect for the ruling junta after learning that they meditate like good Buddhists should.

"Westerners have a saying, 'Look at both sides of the coin,' but Westerners only look at one side," Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said in his weekly television talk show, two days after an official visit to Myanmar.

"Myanmar is a Buddhist country. Myanmar's leaders meditate. They say the country lives in peace," Samak said, noting that he has studied Myanmar for decades but just learned that the junta meditates. Both countries are predominantly Buddhist.

Myanmar's junta has come under global criticism for its deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters last year and its detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but Samak said he preferred to talk about bilateral trade not democracy during talks with junta chief, Senior Gen. Than Shwe.

Many Western nations, including the United States and members of the European Union, maintain economic and political sanctions against the regime for its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.

But Thailand and most other Southeast Asian nations are less critical and encourage companies to do business there.

Samak said he discussed investment opportunities for Thai companies in Myanmar, especially in the area of production and exploitation of natural gas and hydropower projects.

"We want to do something about dams. Than Shwe told me, 'You can do it here and here and here. Find the investors and do it," said Samak, whose coalition government took office last month. "Myanmar only uses a small amount of electricity. Thailand needs electricity."

Blackouts and power cuts are common in Myanmar, where the military regime has distributed electricity under a rationing system for the past decade, barely keeping up with rising demand.

The power rationing does not affect so-called "VIP areas" where senior government and military officials reside.

Thai state-owned energy companies are the largest purchasers of gas from Myanmar, contributing almost US$2 billion (€1.3 billion) a year to the military regime.

"They found new gas resources. I negotiated with them so we can sign contracts," Samak said, adding that the junta wants to build a pipeline to its largest city, Yangon. "Myanmar doesn't have money to build the pipeline. Thai companies will do that for them."

He said Thailand's approach to dealing with Myanmar was in the spirit of good neighborly relations.

"We have three neighbors: Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar," he said. "We use their resources, all three of them. If we have this great relationship, why should we pick on them?"

Thailand also borders Malaysia.