BANGKOK, THAILAND - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should consider expelling Myanmar if it does not release imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.

Asked on Thai television whether ASEAN should kick out the military-ruled member state if it does not free the pro-democracy leader, Clinton replied: "It would be an appropriate policy change to consider."

Myanmar - ASEAN's problem child since it joined the bloc in 1997 - recently sparked outrage by putting the Nobel Laureate on trial over an incident in which an American man swam to her lakeside house.

The ruling junta then snubbed United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by refusing to let him visit Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon's notorious Insein prison, deepening concerns in the international community.

US President Barack Obama has described the court proceedings as a "show trial" and Myanmar has already been slapped with US sanctions for its detention of political prisoners.

On Tuesday Clinton also said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of human rights in Myanmar, "particularly by actions that are attributed to the Burmese military concerning the mistreatment and abuse of young girls." Concerns over Myanmar's possible military cooperation with North Korea are set to dominate discussions at Asia's biggest security forum in the Thai resort island of Phuket, where Clinton is due to arrive later Wednesday.