On July 25, 2022, the world witnessed the first death sentence in Myanmar in 30 years. The military junta of Myanmar executed four men named Phyo Zeya Thaw, Kyaw Min Yu (Ko Jimmy), Hla Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw. They are widely believed to be pro-democracy activists who opposed the ruling military junta of Myanmar, whereas a state news outlet of the country reported that the men were executed for hatching conspiracies to commit “inhuman terrorist” acts.

The incident which unsettled the entire world brought a major embarrassment to the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) member countries as the incident took place barely a week before the 55th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. The meeting is scheduled to be hosted by Cambodia from July 31 to August 6. The act is described as “cruel” and “unjust” by leaders from across the world, who have expressed disgust and condemned the incident.

An official spokesperson from the European Union said, “The Myanmar military regime’s executions of pro-democracy activists and Opposition leaders is a reprehensible act of violence that further exemplifies the regime’s disregard for human rights and the rule of law”

South Korean Foreign Ministry released a join condemnation statement on behalf of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, stating, “We urge the Myanmar Junta regime to release all those detained unjustly, grant complete and independent access to prisons, end the use of violence, respect the will of the people, and restore the country’s path toward democracy.”

“ASEAN, which is committed to establishing peace, must now ask itself if it is possible or not? Can there be a lasting peace in the future if one of its member countries is not prepared to cooperate with its policies? ASEAN should take specific measures that can put pressure on the regime in Myanmar, so it will return to the practice of democracy and free and fair elections,” said Yong Kim Eng, president of the People’s Centre for Development and Peace, during an event.

Even as such statements keep coming from all over the world, the Prayut Chan-o-cha led government of Thailand is quiet, but the people of the country are not. Members of the Opposition, The Thalugaz demonstrated outside the Myanmar Embassy, with around 300 Myanmar people, in Bangkok against the ruling military junta and the execution. It is believed that Prayut Chan-o-cha has good relations with the military junta of Myanmar and hence no statement regarding the execution is given by him.