Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health, says first foreign envoy to meet her since she was jailed by junta

Thailand’s foreign minister is first foreign envoy to be granted access to Nobel laureate since 2021 military coup

Thailand’s foreign minister Don Pramudwinai said he met Myanmar’s jailed former leader Aung San Suu Kyi (AP)

Thailand’s foreign minister has said he was allowed access to Myanmar’s jailed former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is well, mentally and physically.

Don Pramudwinai has thus become the first foreign envoy to be granted access to the Nobel laureate ever since she was detained following a coup by the junta in February 2021.

Ms Suu Kyi was in good health when they held the meeting on Sunday and she conveyed her willingness to engage in talks to resolve the Myanmar crisis, Mr Don said on the sidelines of the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit taking place in Indonesia.

“She encourages dialogue,” Mr Don told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday about the meeting. “Obviously we’re trying to find a way to settle with Myanmar.”

The popular pro-democracy figure, who was Myanmar’s former democratically elected leader, was sentenced to 33 years in prison after being convicted in almost two dozen cases against her.

She is being held in an annexe of a prison in capital Naypyitaw and was denied visits, including from her legal team.

Ms Suu Kyi was among more than 16,600 people, including key party members and activists, who were arrested by the junta which overthrew the country’s democratically elected government.

The comments have come as Indonesia hosts the two-day Asean summit, which has 18 member states attending, including representatives of Russia, China and India.

Thailand’s foreign minister Don Pramudwinai at the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia (AP)

The grouping has been under pressure to address the crisis in the southeast Asian nation. It has barred Myanmar’s military generals from attending the foreign ministerial meetings.

The junta accused Asean of violating the bloc’s bedrock principles of non-intervention in each other’s domestic affairs by banning their entry.

Mr Don said the Indonesian government wanted to see “all Asean members” back in the group, without elaborating.

The meeting with Ms Suu Kyi aligned with Asean’s plan to achieve peace in Myanmar, he said.

“(The meeting) is an approach of the friends of Myanmar, who would like to see a peaceful settlement,” he said.

Kanchana Patarachoke, a spokesperson for Thailand’s foreign ministry, told reporters that the private meeting held on Sunday lasted over an hour.

“She was in good health both physically and mentally. (Mr Don) briefed Asean on the retreat this morning,” she said.

Mr Don faced criticism last month when he invited Asean counterparts for an informal meeting aimed at resolving Myanmar’s political crisis, including junta-appointed foreign minister Than Swe.