VIENTIANE, Laos (Reuters) -Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to seek ways address the worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand calling for heightened engagement ahead of a planned election by the country's embattled military rulers.

Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress.

Southeast Asian leaders gathered in the capital of Laos on Wednesday for an annual regional forum that will focus on tackling the prolonged civil war in Myanmar and territorial tensions in the South China Sea,

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr pressed Southeast Asian leaders and China at a regional summit on Thursday to urgently speed up negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea, while accusing Beijing of harassment and intimidation.

Southeast Asian leaders called on Sunday for swift agreement on a code of conduct for the South China Sea based on international law, while demanding an immediate halt to fighting in Myanmar and inclusive peace talks to end its civil war.

A key meeting took place during the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Laos, where Southeast Asian countries, part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), tried to finalize a consensus statement.