Aung San Suu Kyi declared in good health by Myanmar at ASEAN meeting

Myanmar’s foreign minister Tin Maung Swe told ASEAN foreign ministers gathered in Bangkok that detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 81, is in good health and will be looked after, describing her as “a relative, a sister, therefore we will take care of her.” Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro, ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar, used the opportunity to press for direct access to Suu Kyi, whose whereabouts remain undisclosed after a recent transfer to a “designated location.” Suu Kyi is serving a 27‑year prison term, recently reduced by one‑third, after the 2021 military coup.

The informal meeting marked the first face‑to‑face contact between ASEAN foreign ministers and Myanmar’s diplomat since the coup. ASEAN members urged Myanmar to make concrete progress on the bloc’s five‑point peace consensus – an end to violence, inclusive dialogue, appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian aid, and a visit by the envoy – as the civil war has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced millions. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow echoed the call for verification of Suu Kyi’s condition and for tangible steps to advance the peace plan.