Hated in Myanmar, feted abroad? President inches towards normality with Thailand trip

AI Summary

Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing, sanctioned and wanted for war crimes, is undertaking a diplomatic visit to Thailand amid thawing regional relations. He faces strong domestic opposition due to the 2021 coup and ongoing civil war which has killed around 100,000 people and devastated the economy.

Sanctioned and wanted for war crimes in the West and reviled at home by the millions fighting his army, Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing is this week set for a red-carpet welcome in Thailand, as the diplomatic deep freeze begins to thaw. The former general toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a 2021 coup, sparking a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people – mostly civilians – and cratered its economy, which had only just opened up after five decades of military...