Phumtham regrets Narathiwat attacks but remains hopeful on peace talks

Deputy PM Phumtham regrets the deadly Narathiwat attacks but remains committed to peace talks. Doubts arise over insurgent negotiators’ authority, prompting the government to seek genuine representatives. Malaysia supports Thailand’s ongoing peace efforts.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Monday expressed regret over the insurgent attacks in Narathiwat over the weekend but vowed to continue the peace talks, despite doubts over the authority of the current insurgent negotiators.

Phumtham stated that the simultaneous attacks in Sungai Kolok district on Saturday night, which left three dead and several others injured, had raised concerns within the government about whether the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) representatives genuinely had the power to negotiate on behalf of insurgent groups in the deep South.

As the minister overseeing security affairs, Phumtham said he had previously asked insurgent groups to refrain from carrying out attacks during the holy month of Ramadan as a gesture of goodwill, demonstrating that their negotiators truly had the authority to represent them.Doubts Over Insurgent Representatives

“Now, we must question whether we can truly resolve the southern violence through negotiations with these representatives,” Phumtham said.

Nevertheless, he affirmed that the government would not abandon the peace talks. Instead, it would seek discussions with multiple parties to identify those who genuinely represent the insurgent groups.

“We made it clear that we wanted them to halt attacks for a while to show their commitment to peace talks, yet the attacks still occurred,” Phumtham said.“We will not limit ourselves to the same insurgent negotiation panel. Instead, we are working to coordinate with all relevant parties to identify the real representatives.”

Thailand-Malaysia Relations on the Issue

Phumtham added that Malaysia, Thailand’s neighbour bordering the restive deep South, had no objections to Thailand’s efforts to restore peace in the region.

He noted that Malaysia understood Thailand’s efforts and intentions, despite the fact that the insurgency has persisted for decades.

When asked whether peace could be achieved within the next year, as former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had predicted, Phumtham declined to comment.
“Please wait a year and we can discuss it then,” he replied.

(2025/03/10-00:00)