Peace talks with MARA Patani to go ahead
THAILAND’S peace dialogue in Malaysia with MARA Patani, an umbrella organisation of insurgent groups, will go ahead today as scheduled, despite the recent spate of arson and bomb attacks in the seven provinces and a car bomb in Pattani.
However, in confirming the talks yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said the talks would not result in the signing of any concrete agreement or Terms of Reference (TOR) required to kick-start an official peace process.
He said the Thai authorities would first try to prevent and reduce violent incidents in the South before progressing to the TOR signing.
Arson attacks and bombings in Prachuap Khiri Khan and six other provinces on August 11 and 12 claimed four lives, and last week a car bomb in Pattani caused two more deaths. While analysts believe insurgents might have expanded their campaign last month to strike in the seven upper provinces, Thai authorities have so far been reluctant to link the deep South insurgency to these attacks.
Arrest warrants sought for three insurgents
However, police have applied for arrest warrants for three men from the restive region.
Prawit also said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit to Thailand on September 9 would see the signing of an agreement to solve the issue of people with dual nationality.
He said the authorities would then examine how to make such individuals choose one nationality rather than holding onto both.
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