Myanmar opposition leader Suu Kyi in Thailand in historic visit
Venturing outside Myanmar on her first trip in 24 years, Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Thailand Tuesday marking her arrival on the global stage.
Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest for around 20 years, won a seat in parliament in historic April by-elections.
She is to meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia and also meet Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, on Wednesday.
Dressed in an orange blouse and traditional Burmese longhi, or sarong, the 66-year-old democracy leader was greeted by a throng of admirers at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.
Suu Kyi's decision to travel abroad comes in the wake of dramatic reforms ushered in her country by President Thein Sein, including freeing political prisoners, partially freeing the media and initiating moves to resolve ethnic conflicts in the border areas.
She is also due to visit Switzerland, Norway and Britain in June.
She will address an international labor conference in Geneva on June 14 and then spend a week in Britain from June 18, during which she will give a speech to both houses of parliament.
Since her release from detention and election to parliament, Su Kyi has met several world leaders, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Cameron also suggested that she visit her "beloved Oxford" in June.
On Tuesday, she met India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Thein Sein was also to attend the World Economic Forum, but he pulled out over the weekend citing "urgent matters" at home.
He has rescheduled his first official visit to Thailand for next week, Thai foreign ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said.
Source: Asia Pacific News.Net
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