Aung San Suu Kyi Visits Thailand · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Ronald Reagan was still president of the United States the last time Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi left Myanmar. That was 24 years ago. This week she travelled to Thailand where she delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Bangkok. Suu Kyi’s historic visit instantly grabbed global media attention.
Netizens, on the other hand, use the #assk hashtag to monitor Suu Kyi’s travel to Thailand
@Juarawee: RT @JonahFisher: Thousands await the arrival of #ASSK just outside Bangkok. Flowers. Singing. It's a celebration.
@sdmireland: Standing ovation for #ASSK at #WEF and I am sure lumps in throats…
Suu Kyi at World Economic Forum. Photo from Flickr page of WEF
@WattaneeNYY: “It's true that we are behind everybody else, but that means we can learn from the mistakes of everybody else.” #ASSK #WEF
@YossieBistro: Welcome #ASSK to Thailand. Having you here is not just a visit. It certainly is one important step in the history of politics.
@OliverLaceyHall: #ASSK at #WEF on landing in Bangkok after 24 years: “I was fascinated by the lights. Burma needs an energy policy”
Suu Kyi is referring to the power blackouts which hit several key cities of Myanmar last week. The electricity shortage triggered several peaceful protests in the country.
Big crowd welcomes Suu Kyi in Thailand. Photo by @seacorro
Suu Kyi visited a town in Thailand where 300,000 migrants, mostly from Myanmar, are residing. Many people waited for hours to hear her speech:
@newley: The atmosphere was electric in Samut Sakhon, where Aung San Suu Kyi spoke to migrants from Myanmar this morning, @Anasuya tells me.
@JonahFisher: First morning outside Burma in 24 years and chooses to spend in with some of the poorest and most desperate. That's Aung San Suu Kyi.
Thai InnoMemes: ‎”Cheers!!!”….Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi kicked off her historic first trip overseas in more than two decades with a visit to meet Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand
@tonravee: She said the ultimate goal is to create a situation in Myanmar so our migrant workers can come back and work in our own country peacefully.
@ThanongK: RT @wayne_hay: Chaotic scenes in Samut Sakhon as #ASSK arrived at community centre. She was jostled and pushed.
Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat this year and her party also succeeded in achieving a landslide poll victory. Suu Kyi’s release from detention last year and her participation in mainstream politics are hailed by many people as promising indicators of reforms in Myanmar.