Southern Thai Peace Talks Discussed as PM Visits Malaysia
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on Monday discussed prospects for restarting stalled peace talks aimed at ending southern Thailand's deadly Muslim insurgency, officials said.
Prayut arrived in Malaysia on Monday morning for the several-hour visit, his first to Thailand's southern neighbour since the former military chief seized power in a May coup.
His regime has indicated it favors re-starting the Malaysia-hosted peace talks between Thailand and Muslim rebels that began under the previous Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra.
The visit by Prayut, who was named prime minister in August, was mainly intended as a formal introduction to Thailand's neighbor, said a Malaysian official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
But the official said the two leaders also discussed the peace talks, saying they were "high on the agenda".
The meeting was a first step in what is expected to be a lengthy process toward re-engaging with the shadowy insurgent groups, said the official.
Last year's dialogue in Malaysia made little headway and eventually collapsed as Yingluck's government became engulfed by a political crisis that ultimately led to the coup.
Prospects for a quick resumption now look slim following deadly post-coup militant attacks in southern Thailand and a subsequent fresh security crackdown.
Buddhist Thailand colonized its predominantly Muslim deep south more than a century ago, and insurgencies have repeatedly flared.
More than 6,000 people have been killed or wounded during the current decade-long conflict. Most have been civilians.
Muslim-majority Malaysia -- where some insurgent leaders are believed to be holed up -- hosted several rounds of secretive peace talks last year between Thai officials and representatives of one of the region's rebel groups.
But it remains unclear whether the rebel negotiators speak for any of the other groups involved in the insurgency.
Rights organisations accuse Thai authorities of widespread human rights abuses -- including extra-judicial killings -- in the southern region and of sweeping aside the distinct local culture through forced assimilation projects.
Source: Agence France Presse
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