缅甸表示愿为船民提供帮助

Myanmar, which has received international criticism for its role in Southeast Asia's migrant crisis, now says it is ready to help the thousands of migrants and human trafficking victims stranded at sea.

A foreign ministry statement on Wednesday said Myanmar is deeply concerned "with the sufferings and life-threatening fate" of the so-called boat people, mostly minority Rohingya from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

"Myanmar stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to anyone who suffered in the sea," said the statement, which added "serious efforts" are being taken to prevent human trafficking and illegal migration, including regular air force and navy patrols.

The crisis began earlier this month when Thailand disrupted longstanding human trafficking networks that targeted Rohingya. The people smugglers fled, leaving thousands of boat people adrift at sea.