Myanmar Junta Grants Suu Kyi Access Ahead of Min Aung Hlaing's 2026 Thailand Visit
Updated
Updated · Nikkei Asia · Aug 3
Myanmar Junta Grants Suu Kyi Access Ahead of Min Aung Hlaing's 2026 Thailand Visit
3 articles · Updated · Nikkei Asia · Aug 3
Summary
Aung San Suu Kyi has been granted rare access in the junta's most visible diplomatic concession since the military seized power in February 2021.
Min Aung Hlaing's impending Thailand visit appears to be driving the move, with the regime easing Suu Kyi's isolation days before the trip.
An ICRC representative recently became Suu Kyi's first foreign visitor in five years, meeting the 81-year-old in private in Naypyitaw amid persistent health concerns.
The access marks a notable shift for a regime that has kept the twice-elected former leader largely cut off since the 2021 coup, as regional diplomacy around Myanmar remains under scrutiny.