THE Thai government has indefinitely postponed peace talks with southern insurgency groups after two attacks last week with five rangers killed and six civilians injured in one of them while a police officer was slightly injured in a car bomb blast, Naewna newspaper said this morning (July 28).
Mr. Thanat Suwannanon, director of the National Intelligence Agency and head of the peace talks delegation for southern border provinces, said negotiations had started well but then the attacks suddenly occurred and a statement was issued while the technical team was attending the talks.
This was unusual and as the situation remains unclear a formal meeting scheduled to take place in September with Malaysia acting as the facilitator has been cancelled.
The insurgency groups have to first answer questions about what happened and why they committed these acts before any further discussions can take place, he said, adding they have yet to reply because he has just sent the questions.
“But when the incidents occurred, as we’ve seen, they were too violent for us to accept. We were having a good discussion, and then this happened. I understand that the insurgents might have acted instinctively, but we were talking, we had started talking. As this has happened, we have to start all over again,” Thanat said.
Questioned if there had been any coordination with Malaysia, Thanat said no approach had been made and that he heard Malaysia would be changing the facilitator because there is currently a vacuum. The Thai team is waiting to see what Malaysia will do after having travelled there for discussions.
Asked if the Thai delegation would continue waiting if the insurgency groups did not respond, Thanat said they could send a signal, or send questions through representatives, intermediaries, or any available channels, expressing their thoughts
Questioned whether the aggressive stance of the Thai security forces, especially the military, would hinder dialogue with the insurgency groups, Thanat said he did not think so because each side has its own approach with the important factor being that both sides walk in the same direction.
“The military will pursue its strategies, and we will also pursue ours, but our approach will be peaceful, meaning we will first ask questions like, ‘What happened?'”, he said.
CAPTIONS:
Director of National Intelligence Agency Thanat Suwannanon. Above photo – PPTVHD36, Front Page – Naewna
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