Report: Malaysia to host Southern Thai peace talks this month

 

Malaysia will be hosting ongoing peace talks between rebels from Southern Thailand and the Thai government sometime later this month, according to a media report.

English-daily The Star reported that no date has so far been set but the physical meeting will be held after the Covid-19 pandemic forced both sides to conduct two years of virtual negotiations.

According to the report, former inspector-general of police Rahim Noor will resume his role as facilitator between separatists from Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and the Thai government's chief negotiator Gen Wanlop Rugsanaoh.

"It (the meeting) is scheduled to be held in the middle of January, but the date has not been finalised," Rahim reportedly told The Star.

Rahim also said the meetings so far had progressed "very well" but declined to provide details.

The Star said BRN represents a heavily armed group operating in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla - four Muslim-majority provinces that make up Thailand’s Deep South and borders Kelantan.

The four provinces have a long history of deadly clashes since 2004, killing more than 7,000 people and trapping generations in a cycle of violence.

Rahim was reportedly appointed to the facilitator role in August 2018 by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, with the last face-to-face peace talks held in Kuala Lumpur in January and early March 2020.

Malaysia's close connection with the Southern Thailand cause also recently saw volunteers from their local NGOs rallying donations for flood victims in Kelantan and other affected states. - Mkini