Bangkok, October 27, 2026 (V7N) –  ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar will visit the war-torn country on Wednesday and Thursday, Thailand's foreign minister said, but there was no indication whether she would meet with detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The envoy, Philippines Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, will visit the capital Naypyidaw, where Myanmar authorities say the 81-year-old Suu Kyi is being held under house arrest.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow — whose country is a member of the 11-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — said at a news conference in Bangkok on Tuesday that the envoy's itinerary "is being worked out."

Myanmar's military held Suu Kyi in almost total seclusion for five years following the February 2021 coup, which ended a tentative decade-long experiment with democracy. But in recent months authorities say they have loosened her detention and have published photographs of her taking private meetings, as supporters have demanded "proof of life."

Lazaro, who visited Myanmar in January, said in July she would visit again to try to expand access to humanitarian assistance in the country, which was plunged into civil war by the coup.

ASEAN chair the Philippines had earlier this year requested access for its envoy to Suu Kyi, but was rebuffed. It repeated the request in August, after Suu Kyi met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), her first publicised meeting with a foreign official since she was ousted. Manila also called for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's "complete and unconditional release."

The Thai foreign minister was speaking at a joint media appearance with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, who also confirmed the special envoy's trip. "We hope that there'll be good progress and some progress for her to report on when the ASEAN foreign ministers meet in Manila prior to the ASEAN Summit," Sihasak said.

Analysts say Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing — who as military chief ousted Suu Kyi in February 2021 — is seeking international legitimacy after being installed as the country's civilian president in April. Despite criticism from democracy watchdogs that the election putting him in office was a charade, he has made significant headway into being welcomed onto the world stage, having gone on numerous diplomatic trips including to China, India and several ASEAN nations.

On Thursday, Suu Kyi's son Kim Aris was allowed to speak to her on the telephone for the first time in more than five years, in a call from Myanmar's London embassy. The UK-based Aris told AFP afterwards that his mother had sounded "fairly healthy," but added: "I remain very concerned about her well-being."

The envoy's visit is expected to be closely watched for any sign of progress on humanitarian access and on broader efforts to address the political crisis stemming from the 2021 coup.

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