Myanmar president Thein Sein cancels trip to Bangkok
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Myanmar President Thein Sein has cancelled plans to attend a World Economic Forum meeting in Bangkok, days after opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was invited to the event, organisers said Monday.
Sushant Rao, Asia director of the World Economic Forum (WEF), confirmed that Thein Sein would not attend. Five government leaders and 630 other participants were expected to participate in the Bangkok meetings on Thursday and Friday.
Thein Sein's cancellation followed news that the forum had invited Myanmar democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi is to arrive in Bangkok late Tuesday and depart Sunday.
She joined the Myanmar parliament last month after Thein Sein paved the way for the Nobel Peace Prize winner to re-enter mainstreampolitics via an April 1 by-election.
"Thein Sein is now scheduled to arrive in Thailand for an official visit on June 3-4," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdisaid.
"The Myanmar foreign ministry said he could not attend the WEF dueto his need to stay in the country during that period," Thani said.
Since last week, there have been nightly candle-light protests in Myanmar's largest cities against the country's woefully inadequateelectricity supply.
Only 25 per cent of Myanmar's 60 million people have access toelectricity. The supply diminishes during the hot season when waterlevels at hydroelectric dams becomes low.
A new protest of thousands was planned Monday night at Mayaingone township in Yangon, sources in the former capital said.
