KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand appreciates Malaysia’s role and efforts in facilitating the peace talks between Bangkok and the insurgent groups in Thailand’s troubled southern region, said the Kingdom’s ambassador here, Narong Sasitorn.
While acknowledging that the negotiations will be challenging and time-consuming, he expressed his optimism that the outcome will be a positive one.
“We value Malaysia’s role as a facilitator in this peace talk efforts because we attach great importance to this process.
“We want to find a peaceful solution to the problems in the south,” he told Bernama at Thailand’s National Day celebration, here, yesterday.
Malaysia and Thailand had appointed new chiefs recently in the hope that fresh negotiations with separatist groups will lead to results in restoring long-term peace.
Former Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor (pix) was, in October last year, appointed as the new facilitator to the peace process, while former National Security Council secretary-general General Wanlop Rugsanaoh was appointed by Bangkok as its chief negotiator for the peace talks on Oct 1 this year.
Bernama reported earlier this week that Gen. Wanlop said he was hopeful that negotiations will resume next year.
Malaysia has been facilitating the talks between Bangkok and Majlis Syura Patani (Mara Patani), and are now trying to get the armed wing of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) to the negotiating table.
Violence in four provinces in South Thailand – Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla – has claimed more than 7,000 lives to date. — Bernama
