Thailand and Malaysia have strengthened their bilateral relations in a bid to bring peace to Thailand’s deep south.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantravanich confirmed that Malaysia will continue to support peace negotiation efforts with insurgent groups in the Deep South, primarily Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani provinces which share borders with Malaysia.
Lt. Gen. Kongcheep revealed that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon met with Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to discuss the sensitive issue during a visit to Malaysia on Thursday.
General Prawit led a delegation to the 55th Thailand-Malaysia General Border Committee Meeting in Kuala Lumpur with the aim of enhancing border security and cooperation.
The two countries welcomed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed a number of high-profile topics during the meeting, including threats posed by militants holding dual nationality and Malaysia’s commitment to support the Thailand’s peace talks with insurgents in the three southernmost border provinces.
The construction of a road linking a new checkpoint in Sadao district in Songkhla, southern Thailand, to the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in Malaysia, and joint efforts to maintain security along the strait of Malacca, were also discussed at the meeting.
A communication center has been set up along the border between the two countries where the two countries will have joint border patrols.
You can read about the history of the southern uprising HERE.
THE SOURCE: Bangkok Post