Regime authorities at Yangon International Airport and the Ministry of Immigration and Population told DVB that Myint Kyaing, the regime Minister of Immigration and Population, has ordered officials to “continuously” monitor foreigners entering Myanmar ahead of the regime’s 2025-26 elections, scheduled to begin on Dec. 28 and continue into January 2026.
Myint Kyaing issued the instructions during a visit to the Yangon International Airport, accompanied by military intelligence officers, on Sunday.
“The minister said that apart from China and Russia, people from other countries could spread misinformation about the elections and ordered a thorough inspection,” an airport official told DVB on condition of anonymity, adding that Myint Kyaing directed staff to contact military intelligence immediately if any suspicious information is discovered and continue surveillance of the suspect until action is taken.
Authorities from the regime’s Ministry of Immigration and Population at the airport also told DVB that they have been instructed to carry out increased inspections of both Myanmar citizens and foreign nationals arriving to, or leaving, the country in the lead up to the elections, citing “security measures” related to the divisive polls.
The regime’s Union Election Commission (UEC) invited election observers from the 11-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and neighbouring states, with a deadline of Dec. 5 to respond.
Regime media reported in September that Laos responded saying that they would send an official election observation team.
No other ASEAN member country has committed to sending election observers to Myanmar.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he hoped the regime elections would lead to a positive outcome for Myanmar during his visit to Naypyidaw on Dec. 7, but there was no mention of Thai election observers being sent to Myanmar later this month.
Malaysia, the 2025 ASEAN Chair, stated in October that it is “not likely” that election observers would be sent officially. The Philippines, the incoming 2026 ASEAN chair, reiterated this point adding that no election observers can be sent to Myanmar without a consensus from all ASEAN members.
Belarus, a key supporter of the regime in Naypyidaw, along with China and Russia have pledged that they will send election observers, according to regime media reports.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was only the second head of state to visit Myanmar since the 2021 military coup after Cambodia’s then-Prime Minister Hun Sen, who visited Naypyidaw to meet with regime leader Min Aung Hlaing while Cambodia was ASEAN chair in 2022.
India, China, and Russia have kept up diplomatic engagement with the regime in Napyidaw since the 2021 coup, but none have publicly confirmed that they will send official observation teams from New Delhi, Beijing, or Moscow despite regime media reports stating otherwise.
Most Western counties, excluding the U.S., and international human rights organizations, including the U.N., have called the regime elections a “sham” intended to legitimize military rule.
