Asean holds summit in Laos as Thailand floats new plan for Myanmar crisis

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra showing her iPad to a delegate member during the retreat session of the 45th Asean Summit in Vientiane on Oct 9, 2024. - AP

VIENTIANE: South-East Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday (Oct 9) for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress.

Chaos has prevailed in Myanmar since a 2021 military coup sparked a nationwide rebellion and a civil war that has ravaged the nation of 55 million. The ruling junta has so far refused to hold talks with its opponents, whom it calls terrorists.