AN (UNFORTUNATE?) COUP

Burma's Prime Minister 'Forced to Resign'

Burma Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt was forced to resign and has been placed under house arrest on corruption charges, a Thai government spokesman said today.

"We can confirm Khin Nyunt has been removed from the position of prime minister and is being detained under house arrest," said government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair.

The secretive military government of Burma (also known as Myanmar) has been at the centre of rumours today that the long-powerful Khin Nyunt had been removed from office, according to diplomats and senior Thai officials.

It's hard to maintain sympathy for any of the junta ruling Myanmar, but (if true) this could be a bad sign. Khin Nyunt was seen as one of the more moderate of the generals and had been instrumental in moving forward with discussions with the National League for Democracy, headed by the imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi.

Leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) countries have not yet commented on the 'coup,' but they should be worried if this is a backward step. Myanmar is set to take over the presidency of Asean in 2006. Any reversal of the (meager) progress the country has made at reconciliation would make trade talks between Asean and other regional groupings far more difficult.

If Asean doesn't boot Burma now, it should at the very least decide to momentarily ditch its 'non-interference' policy.