Luxon won’t intervene in prison case

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Publication title: Northern Advocate, The (Whangarei, New Zealand)

Hamish and Oscar Day were arrested in Phuket last month while on holiday after fighting with a police officer and taking his gun

He said the case was before the courts in Thailand.

Luxon spoke to media from Bangkok, where he touched down for the first dedicated visit to Thailand by a New Zealand Prime Minister since 2013.

He also again defended hosting Myanmar officials in New Zealand for an Asean conference, ahead of his meeting with his Thai counterpart.

Thailand has had many thousands of people fleeing from Myanmar cross the border since Myanmar’s Tatmadaw military carried out a coup in February 2021.

Luxon told reporters the government condemned outright the Myanmar coup and New Zealand was simply following the policy set by Asean.

He said the Asean position was to ensure no political leadership from Myanmar was involved in the conversations “but it is a belief that there is value in having constructive dialogue with officials in particular”, he said.

It was put to him that Australia had refused to allow Myanmar officials at similar Asean meetings.

“Yes, and that’s why I’m saying it’s...