The United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Mr. Tom Andrews, has welcomed Thailand’s plans to form a task force to investigate transactions by Thai banks that have facilitated the Myanmar military junta’s acquisition of weapons.
Thailand announced the formation of this task force last week, nearly a month after Mr. Tom Andrews' report revealed the significant role Thai banks have played in financing arms purchases for the Myanmar military regime, which unjustly ousted Myanmar's elected government in 2021. “It’s a real step in the right direction,” Mr. Andrews said in an interview on Saturday, adding that it indicates Thailand is serious about stopping these weapons transfers.
His report, titled “Banking on the Death Trade: How Banks and Governments Enable the Military Junta in Myanmar,” noted that after Singapore took action against its banks involved in arms sales to the Myanmar regime due to sanions, the regime’s weapons financing through Thailand doubled to $120 million in the past fiscal year. Mr. Andrews expressed hope that Thailand's task force would take similar action against the banks involved in the arms trade, as Singapore had done. There has been no response from the military regime regarding this news.
Comments