On August 6, 2026, a red carpet was laid out and an honor guard lined up to welcome Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader who had just been elected President of Myanmar in April, on his first official visit to Thailand. He was at the invitation of the Thai government led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Following the discussions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a press release stating that the talks between the two leaders covered a range of issues, from trade cooperation to addressing challenges facing Thailand due to its border with Myanmar, including transboundary toxic pollution and haze, scammers, and drug trafficking.

Nearly four years have passed since opium cultivation surged again in Myanmar, resulting in the country being named the world's number one opium producer, surpassing Afghanistan. Myanmar's resurgence as the world's largest opium producer is due to several factors. Most importantly, there was the coup that occurred on February 1, 2021.

Watch this on FLASHPOINT: Global Hot Spots, episode "Myanmar: Civil War, Bullets, and Opium," Friday, August 21, 2026, at 10:00 PM on Thai PBS.

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