BIMSTEC Dinner in Bangkok Highlights Regional Cooperation Amid Controversy

Friday, 4 April 2025, 3:44

Bangkok-

On the evening of April 3, 2025, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hosted a grand welcome dinner for leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) at a prestigious hotel in Bangkok. 

The event marked the prelude to the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, held on April 4, bringing together heads of state and government from the seven member nations—Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. With the theme “Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC,” the dinner set the stage for discussions on trade, security, and regional connectivity, reflecting the bloc’s ambition to foster cooperation across the Bay of Bengal region. The evening featured cultural performances, including a rendition of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien, and provided a platform for informal exchanges among leaders ahead of the formal summit proceedings.

The dinner saw prominent figures such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in attendance, alongside host Paetongtarn Shinawatra. 

However, the presence of Myanmar’s junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, cast a shadow over the otherwise celebratory mood. His attendance at the dinner and the summit sparked controversy, given his role in the 2021 coup that overthrew Myanmar’s elected government and plunged the country into civil war. Critics, including Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and activists on social media, along with over 300 human rights groups, condemned his invitation, arguing it legitimizes a regime accused of war crimes and human rights abuses.

The controversy intensified amid Myanmar’s ongoing recovery from a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed nearly 3,000 people just days prior, with reports of the junta allegedly blocking aid, rejecting international journalists from covering the event, and rejecting ceasefire calls from rebel groups.

Despite the Myanmar controversy, the dinner succeeded in projecting unity among BIMSTEC leaders. Thailand’s proposal for a joint statement on the earthquake’s impact, to be issued on April 4, reflected a collective intent to address regional challenges. For host Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the evening was a diplomatic milestone, marking her first summit as prime minister and reinforcing Thailand’s role as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia. 