Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad and Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha discuss peace amid separatist border violence
- Two leaders agree on greater cooperation to end Muslim separatist insurgency in southern Thailand
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad met on Wednesday with Thailand’s leader and discussed peace talks in Thailand’s southern border provinces where a Muslim separatist insurgency has been raging for over a decade.
Malaysia has been a facilitator between rebel groups and the Thai government but so far little progress has been made. Almost 7,000 people have died in the insurgency in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces since 2004.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he and Mahathir discussed the problems facing Thailand’s southern border provinces and agreed on greater cooperation.
“We understand each other better on our concerns and limitations,” Prayuth said. “I assured him that the dialogue will continue, with Malaysia as the facilitator.”
“At the same time, the two countries will expand the scope of cooperation to include other areas such as border security, economic development and measures to tackle broader security issues, particularly in countering terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime such as narcotic drugs and human trafficking,” Prayuth said.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday that the visit is expected to add momentum to the southern Thailand peace process.