People’s Party MP calls for peace as Myanmar leader visits parliament
Bangkok lawmaker Anusorn Tamajai repeatedly called for peace and humanity as Min Aung Hlaing arrived, prompting parliament police to intervene.
- People's Party MP Anusorn Tamajai shouted "For peace, for humanity" as Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing arrived at the Thai parliament.
- The MP stated he was protesting the official welcome for a leader he described as a "war criminal" and wanted to show that Thailand stands for peace and opposes violence.
- His specific demands included upholding peace and democracy, addressing cross-border impacts affecting Thailand, and implementing ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus.
- Parliamentary police intervened and escorted the MP from the area, preventing him from submitting a formal letter with his demands.
At the Parliament Building, Senate President Mongkol Surasajja received Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, during his official visit to Thailand as a guest of the government.
The reception was held in Special Reception Room 204.
The discussions with senior Thai leaders and legislators were to cover bilateral relations, including an exchange of views on strengthening ties between Thailand and Myanmar and advancing cooperation.
The agenda was also to include issues affecting the quality of life and security of people in both countries, such as transnational crime, border cooperation and border trade.
At the regional level, the talks were expected to address Myanmar’s role in ASEAN cooperation.
Reporters said that as Min Aung Hlaing arrived at the Parliament Building, Anusorn Tamajai, a Bangkok MP for the People’s Party who was standing nearby to observe the visit, repeatedly shouted, “For peace, for humanity.”
Parliament police moved in to bring the situation under control and escorted Anusorn from the area.
Anusorn later said he had acted to show that he, as an MP, opposed the government or parliament giving a red-carpet welcome to a person whom he described as a war criminal and a bloodstained dictator and accused of causing numerous problems for Thai people.
He said that if people had compassion for their fellow human beings, they could not remain indifferent to such a situation and had to make clear that Thailand stood for peace, opposed war, violent conflict and mutual destruction, and did not want genocide or bombing along the border to occur.
Anusorn listed two demands: (1) that the principles of peace and democracy be upheld in line with the Panglong Agreement; and (2) that the Myanmar government address cross-border impacts affecting Thai people and Thailand.
He said his intention had been only to make these requests, but he had been unable to submit a letter even though doing so should have been possible.
He also called for the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and concrete action to restore peace and democracy.
