Thailand will wait for Malaysia's decision on Southern Thailand peace talks

BANGKOK: Thailand will have to wait for a decision by the new Malaysian Government regarding the future of the southern Thailand peace process following the defeat of the Barisan Nasional government in last month's 14th General Election.
"We have to wait for the confirmation whether the facilitator (of the peace talks) will be the same or if Malaysia will continue with the policy (on the southern Thailand peace process)," said Thailand's National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Gen Wanlop Raksanor here today.
Thailand will also have to see if Malaysia retained Datuk Seri Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim as the facilitator for the peace talks, he said.
Bangkok, according to Wanlop, wants to continue with the peace talks.
Kuala Lumpur has been hosting several rounds of peace talks between representatives from the Thailand Government and Mara Patani (Majlis Syura Patani) to seek a peaceful resolution to years of armed conflicts in southern Thailand.
About 7,000 people died as a result of armed conflicts in southern Thailand since 2004. — Bernama