Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held an informal meeting with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday to discuss the status of detained former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the implementation of the regional peace plan.

The meeting marked the first face-to-face engagement between ASEAN foreign ministers and a representative of Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, who also serves as the ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar, shared remarks made by Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe. According to her, the Myanmar minister told the bloc that the 81-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health.

Aung San Suu Kyi was removed from power during the 2021 military coup and was later sentenced to 27 years in prison on charges including incitement, corruption, electoral fraud and violating the Official Secrets Act. Her supporters have maintained that the charges were politically motivated and intended to prevent her return to politics. The military authorities have rejected those allegations. Although her sentence was later reduced by one-third, her current location has not been disclosed. Meanwhile, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan attended the meeting.