The peace dialogue for Thailand’s southern border region has made progress, with a crucial meeting expected to be held this September in Malaysia to push the peace process into a new stage.
Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, political adviser to the Thai Prime Minister, said at Government House on Wednesday that several subcommittees are currently holding closed-door consultations in preparation for the September meeting. It is expected that two more rounds of talks will be held before the meeting convenes.
He said that if bilateral discussions progress smoothly, Thailand and Malaysia are expected to jointly sign an agreement and issue a joint statement outlining the progress of the peace talks.
He pointed out that the situation in southern Thailand may also be one of the topics discussed during Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's visit to Malaysia on July 9-10, though it is not expected to be among the main items on the agenda.
He said that Thailand is expected to seek Malaysia’s support to accelerate the realization of sustainable peace in the southern border region.
The southern border of Thailand has long been plagued by low-intensity armed conflict, with more than 7,000 civilians killed in the past 20 years.
Regarding the recent increase in violent incidents in the south, he said authorities are continuously assessing the situation. Although there has been a rise in attacks, the overall impact on the daily lives of local residents remains limited.
He said that if bilateral discussions progress smoothly, Thailand and Malaysia are expected to jointly sign an agreement and issue a joint statement outlining the progress of the peace talks.
He pointed out that the situation in southern Thailand may also be one of the topics discussed during Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's visit to Malaysia on July 9-10, though it is not expected to be among the main items on the agenda.
He said that Thailand is expected to seek Malaysia’s support to accelerate the realization of sustainable peace in the southern border region.
The southern border of Thailand has long been plagued by low-intensity armed conflict, with more than 7,000 civilians killed in the past 20 years.
Regarding the recent increase in violent incidents in the south, he said authorities are continuously assessing the situation. Although there has been a rise in attacks, the overall impact on the daily lives of local residents remains limited.