Fuadi Pitsuwan emphasizes the urgent need for ASEAN and the broader international community to prioritize Myanmar’s crisis, warning that continued inaction in the face of ongoing violence and political instability threatens both the credibility of ASEAN and global peace efforts. He argues that the situation in Myanmar represents not only a political and humanitarian catastrophe but also a source of serious non-traditional security threats—including telecommunications fraud, drug trafficking, environmental degradation, and human trafficking—that extend far beyond Southeast Asia. Supporting Myanmar’s transition toward peace, political stability, and sustainable development, he contends, would constitute a meaningful and necessary contribution to global stability.

Pitsuwan also underscores Thailand’s pivotal role, given its long shared border with Myanmar and the large number of Myanmar nationals residing within its territory—now amounting to approximately 10% of Thailand’s population. As such, Thailand is uniquely exposed to the consequences of Myanmar’s crisis, including cross-border criminal activity and refugee flows. While Thailand has played a vital role in providing humanitarian support, Pitsuwan stresses that this burden cannot be sustained without stronger international engagement. He calls for increased global attention to the humanitarian and security challenges emerging along the Thai-Myanmar border, emphasizing that these are not just regional concerns—they are global imperatives.

This video was filmed during the Hollings Center’s dialogue program Myanmar and Southeast Asia: Challenges and Opportunities in Regional Relations, which occurred in February 2025.