People's Party MP explains why he called out for peace during "Min Aung Hlaing's" visit to parliament after being barred from submitting a letter, criticises the government and the Senate for "rolling out the red carpet for a blood-stained dictator," plans to submit parliamentary questions to the government, and intends to discuss with the Speaker of the National Assembly ways for MPs to visit political prisoners in Myanmar, including "Aung San Suu Kyi."
On 7 August 2026, Assoc. Prof. Anusorn Thammai, Member of Parliament for Bangkok from the People's Party, explained the incident in which he shouted calls for peace during the visit of Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing to the National Assembly. He said he had intended to submit a letter containing proposals on peace-building, democracy, and the resolution of cross-border problems affecting Thailand, but officials did not permit him to present the letter directly. He therefore decided to express himself by shouting, in order to declare the position of Thai MPs who stand firm on democracy, peace, and human rights.
Assoc. Prof. Anusorn said Thailand can negotiate and communicate with Myanmar's military government, given that it is a neighbouring country and there are shared problems that need to be resolved together. However, it is not necessary to extend a "red carpet" reception, which could be seen as conferring political legitimacy on the military government.
"We are rolling out the red carpet for a blood-stained dictator, and creating countless problems for the Thai people. If we have compassion for our fellow human beings, we cannot remain indifferent. We must show that Thailand stands on the side of peace, democracy, and humanity," Assoc. Prof. Anusorn said.
Assoc. Prof. Anusorn also criticised the scenes of an official reception for Min Aung Hlaing at Government House and the National Assembly as a strategic diplomatic mistake on Thailand's part. He further observed that communication with Myanmar's government should proceed in parallel with contact with other parties, including the National Unity Government (NUG) and ethnic groups, so that Thailand can play a role as a mediator promoting peace negotiations.
Regarding the letter he had intended to submit to Min Aung Hlaing, its main proposals were for Myanmar to advance the peace and democracy process in accordance with the principles and "spirit of Panglong," which aims to build cooperation between the central government and ethnic groups, and to support the restoration of the peace process that stalled following the coup on 1 February 2021.
A further point was a call for Myanmar's government to address, within a clear timeframe, cross-border issues affecting Thailand, including narcotics, scammer operations, human trafficking, fighting along the border, toxic substances in rivers, and air pollution. The letter also called for implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus and the concrete restoration of peace and democracy.
Assoc. Prof. Anusorn also spoke about the internal conflict situation in Myanmar, observing that although the military government states it is advancing the peace process, fighting and airstrikes continue, affecting civilians and border areas. He expressed the view that Thailand should not engage solely with the military government, but should open channels to all relevant parties in order to create opportunities for sustainable problem-solving.
Regarding the incident in which officials escorted him away from the area after he shouted, Assoc. Prof. Anusorn said he understood that parliamentary police officers were required to maintain order during the ceremony, and that he was ready to walk out of the area on his own. He affirmed that the intention behind this act of expression was to show Thai society and the international community that there are still Thai MPs who disagree with the conferral of legitimacy on Myanmar's military government.
Assoc. Prof. Anusorn said the next steps will be to submit questions to the government, particularly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies, regarding approaches to resolving border and cross-border problems, as well as Thailand's role in promoting peace and democracy in Myanmar.
As for the case in which Min Aung Hlaing told Senate President Mongkol Surasajja that he bore no grudge over the shouting incident, Assoc. Prof. Anusorn said that if that was indeed his intention, he was welcome to it — but what has taken place in Myanmar over the past several years must still enter the process of accountability through the justice system.
Nonetheless, he will seek an opportunity to meet with National Assembly President Sophon Saramee to discuss how a group of MPs can play a role through parliamentary mechanisms in promoting peace, human rights, and democracy in Myanmar, including exploring ways to visit political prisoners in order to monitor their living conditions and treatment. This includes discussing the possibility of visiting Aung San Suu Kyi.
