An American diplomat assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar was found dead in Yangon, with authorities charging a Thai woman with murder in the case.
The State Department confirmed the death of the embassy employee but declined to release additional details.
“Out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones, we have no further information to provide at this time,” the State Department said in an emailed reply to questions from The Associated Press.
American officials in Thailand and representatives at the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar referred inquiries back to the State Department.
According to members of Myanmar’s diplomatic community, the diplomat was found dead on May 11 at the Sakura Residence & Hotel in Yangon. The long-term residence, located about a mile from the U.S. Embassy, is popular with diplomats, business executives, and other international visitors.
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Two attorneys familiar with the case told The Associated Press that a Thai woman appeared in court Thursday and was charged with murder, along with a separate violation under Myanmar’s immigration law. If convicted, she could face a sentence ranging from 10 years in prison to the death penalty.
Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said it has provided consular assistance to the woman and notified her family but declined to comment further.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been engulfed in conflict since the military overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. The junta has since battled an array of ethnic militias and pro-democracy resistance groups in a widening civil war.
Authorities in the military-run nation rarely provide information to the media. Police, prison officials, and court representatives have all declined to discuss the case publicly.
