By Thai Newsroom Reporters
FOREIGN MINISTER MARIS Sangiampongsa today (July 18) categorically dismissed a United Nations report that Thai-owned banks had been allegedly involved in arms sales to Myanmar government forces.
During today’s interpellation in the House of Representatives, the foreign minister denied the unnamed Thai banks had been involved in money transactions worth nearly US$130 million for the sales of war weapons to Tatmadaw government troops in Myanmar.
Neither had the Thai government been involved in such clandestine acts as alleged by Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, the foreign minister said.
In his report entitled “The Billion Dollar Death Trade”, Andrews has earlier alleged Thailand of becoming Myanmar’s main supplier of weapons with which they waged war against armed ethnic rebels.
But Maris quoted officials of the Bank of Thailand and Anti-Money Laundering Office as saying no Thai banks had been evidently involved in any arms sales to Myanmar government forces and said Thailand has invariably adhered to the internationally-upheld human rights and humanitarian principles.
Nevertheless, the foreign minister said Bangkok will by no means boycott bilateral trade with Nayipidaw in the face of the sustained fighting between Myanmar government troops and armed ethnic groups to avoid adverse effects on cordial relationships between Thailand and Myanmar.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Police and soldiers armed with guns and slingshots advance towards anti-coup protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar on Mar. 3, 2021. File photo: AP and published by CNA
Insert: Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: Myanmar’s military parade to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmar Mar. 27, 2017. File photo: Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun and published by CNA
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