BANGKOK: Expectations are high in Bangkok today that a step towards resolving the South East Asia boatpeople crisis will be made at a gathering at a luxury hotel involving 17 nations.

Given the forces at work in the region and especially in Burma (Myanmar) a solution will not come easily, and certainly not from one meeting alone, even one involving so many countries.

Thailand, for example, still pursues a policy that is seen as unacceptable, ''helping on'' unwanted boats laden with desperate passengers to other destinations.

For its part, Burma has yet to accept any responsibility.

Meanwhile, the intolerant mobs that make the life of the country's Muslim minority such a test of endurance continue to conduct hate parades in the street.

Whatever happens next, quelling that intolerance will be essential.

But the same element that drives thousands of Rohingya and Bengalis into the sea - hope - was present at the luxurious Anantara Siam Hotel today.

The setting, under a chandelier on thick carpet in a room with silken wallpaper, seemed a far cry from the harsh and sometimes deadly conditions on storm-tossed ships.

But it's the men and women in power suits who can bring the remaining desperate passengers to shore and end the region's tragic saga of persecution, poverty, torture, and for some, a horrible death in secret jungle camps.

Phuketwan has covered the journey since 2008 and the swarm of reporters and cameras was a sign today that at least the issue is now on the front pages around the world.

And so it should be. The stateless people of Myanmar, fleeing hate and racism, have only been joined by Bangladeshis in large numbers because the trafficking sea lane has grown through lack of enforcement.

Thailand's approach has always been flawed. Successive governments have never interfered with politics in neighboring Burma.

Whether in uniform or in suits, the militaries in both countries have played key roles in allowing the trafficking to flourish, knowing it was there, knowing it was hideous, but doing nothing to stop it.

People-smuggling grew and grew as the years passed and many villagers along the Andaman coast and in southern Thailand's border provinces joined in.

Only with the almost accidental discovery by local authorities of graves in the camps earlier this month did the shoddy charade come to an unexpected ending, followed by the massive exposure of the size of the hideous enterprise.

The boats are still bobbing. The mobs are still shouting. But at least today, after years of denials, the talking has begun.

A LARGE number of ambassadors joined the meeting unexpectedly. We noticed the ambassadors from Australia, France, Canada and Sweden, and quite a few more.

The meeting must have been larger than anticipated - there was standing room only for an overspill of journalists,with cameras and tv coverage taking place in corridors.

Among the most interesting of the national spokespeople was the head of the Burmese delegation, who restated his national policy on ''irregular migration.''

At one point, he quoted the Foreign Minister of Australia - although he was unable to recollect her name.

Minister Julie Bishop, quoted in an Australian newspaper last weekend, mentioned that Indonesian authorities had told her that a large proportion of the boatpeople in Aceh were not asylum seekers or refugees but economic migrants.

No journalist would quote a person third-hand in that fashion. However, it is perhaps an indication that Australia's ''nope, nope, nope'' policy on boatpeople has attracted the wrong kind of supporters around the region.

Finger-pointing should not be part of discussions, the Burmese spokesperson said. Well he would, wouldn't he?

It was announced that Asean will convene a meeting of ministers to examine transnational crimes. That may not be an ideal step forward.

Phuketwan remembers an Asean meeting on Phuket in 2009, soon after the revelations of the ''pushbacks'' by the Thai military that led to the deaths of several hundred Rohingya.

The Rohingya issue was a late addition to the items to be discussed - Item 76 or Item 77, we cannot quite remember which.

That Asean meeting never did get to discuss the issue.

Because the issue was never raised then or in the scores of meetings between 2009 and 2015, the trafficking business of the Andaman Sea was allowed to grow and grow . . .

We wrote about it often. A search of the word ''Rohingya'' pn 'Phuketwan' turns up more than 1200 articles. But the authorities chose never to react.

The Government of Thailand simply replaced the ''pushback'' policy with the ''help on'' policy . . . and the trafficking business grew and boomed.

Opening Remarks by H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel, Bangkok

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, I am honoured to open this Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean.

I would like to extend our warmest welcome to all delegates. We are here today to address the issue of irregular maritime migration in our region in a collective and sustainable manner.

The influx of irregular migrants in the Indian Ocean has reached an alarming level. Sadly, we have witnessed desperate migrants leaving their homes and risking their lives. The situation has affected various countries in the region. No country can solve this problem alone.

The problem of irregular migration is more complex than what we are seeing. More than ever, we need concerted efforts by all countries concerned be they countries of origin, transit, or destination.

It also requires both time and international cooperation to address the problem comprehensively in the spirit of international burden-sharing. We need to work together.

Recognising the urgent nature of the problem, Thailand took the initiative to host this Special Meeting with 3 main objectives:

.. first, to address the immediate humanitarian situation of stranded migrants;

.. second, to combat the long-term problem of people smuggling and human trafficking to prevent further irregular movements;

.. and third, to address the root causes from origin.

Last week, Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia,and Thailand met in Putrajaya to discuss these urgent matters.

We announced our intention to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those migrants still at sea.

Malaysia and Indonesia also offered temporary shelter for the stranded migrants provided that the resettlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community.

On our part, Thailand remains ready as always to provide humanitarian assistance to these migrants by tripling our efforts.

On 25 May, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered the launch of an integrated special taskforce and a humanitarian mission to provide assistance to migrants stranded at sea.

Since 26 May, Royal Thai Navy vessels have been deployed to serve as floating platforms to provide humanitarian assistance to those migrants at sea.

Personnel on these floating vessels consists of the following:

.. First a medical team to provide treatment, food and water;

.. Second an investigation team to investigate the possibility of human trafficking activities;

.. Third a registration team to identify and prepare for possible solutions, including referrals to shelters offered by Indonesia and Malaysia.

If disembarkation is absolutely necessary, the migrants will be treated first and foremost according to humanitarian principles under Thai laws.

We have also deployed air patrols by the Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force to monitor movements over Thai waters, adjacent area, and international waters within our capability to assist and support the humanitarian mission.

We welcome other interested countries to join in, under Thailand's coordination. In this juncture, I have asked my Ministry to set up a coordinating center, working with IOM, to facilitate countries or organisations wishing to join in our humanitarian undertaking.

Distinguished participants, Thailand remains ever committed to our humanitarian tradition of hosting refugees and displaced persons since the 1970s.

Even now some 130,000 still remain under our care. At present, we are also hosting many other groups, including some 600 irregular maritime migrants.

This current crisis highlights the sad reality that people are still compelled to leave their homes and loved ones, due to diverse causes. Irregular migration has become increasingly complex and demands comprehensive solutions.

We must not solve one problem just to find out later that it has in fact created another.

While we are trying to help those in need, we must seek to stop the outflow of irregular migration and combat transnational crime and destroy their networks.

The root causes that motivated these people to leave must also be addressed.

I thank all participants for joining us at this meeting. Our work today means much more than statements and exchanges of ideas.

Our work today will pave way for further work in the days and months ahead. We have one common objective, which is, first and foremost, to save lives and to put an end to people having to risk their lives in hope of a better future.

Let us work together in a spirit of friendship.

Let us not only look at the problems but together find solutions.

With that, I wish to declare this meeting open and I wish all of you fruitful deliberations and a successful meeting.

Thank you.