New Delhi (Mizzima) – Thailand's Army Chief Anupong Paojinda is likely to discuss matters relating to the Rohingya migrants, during his meeting with Burma's military supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe in Naypyidaw, the new jungle capital of Burma, an official at Thailand's Foreign Affair Ministry said.
"Probably, it is possible that it [the Rohingya issue] will pop up during their conversation," the official said.
Burma's state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar on Wednesday said, Anupong, who began a two-day visit to Burma on Tuesday, had met Burma's Senior General Than Shwe.
Anupong, before leaving for Burma, told reporters in Bangkok that he expected to discuss border issues and the Rohingya migrants' problem with Burma.
"The Army commanders are not there to discuss on any specific issue," the official told Mizzima. "It is just to exchange views on how we could work together to enhance bilateral military cooperation within the framework of cooperation in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations]," he added.
Thailand, recently, was in the media glare after batches of Rohingya migrants arrived on its coast. Media reports said the Thai army had towed away the refugees into the sea, after destroying the engines of their boats.
More than 400 Rohingya migrants, have been rescued from the Sabang Island in Indonesia and hundreds more were rescued from the Andaman Islands in India.
The Rohingya survivors said they had come from northern Arakan state of Burma, but the Burmese military government denied that Rohingya people were part of Burma's ethnic groups.
The official at Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thailand intends to raise the Rohingya issue at the upcoming ASEAN summit, slated to be held in Thailand, from February 27 to March 1, 2009.
"We are going to find a suitable way to raise the Rohingya issue during the ASEAN meeting," the official said.
"However, it might not be formally discussed at the summit because so far, the agenda of the meeting has not changed yet," he added.
He also said, some of the Rohingya refugees rescued by the Thai navy last month, were currently undergoing medical treatment at a hospital in Ranong, southern Thailand, and would be charged under the Thai Immigration Law for illegally entering the country.
