Malaysia has agreed to continue its supporting role in future talks between Thailand and southern separatists, National Security Council (NSC) chief Thawil Pliensri said yesterday.
Mr Thawil said after returning from Kuala Lumpur that the Malaysian government supported efforts to restart talks and that it would help to arrange future meetings.
The Thai and Malaysian national security agencies will forward the results of their first official meeting to their respective government leaders.
Mr Thawil held talks with his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, on Wednesday after heading to Malaysia on Tuesday to make arrangements for reviving the peace dialogue process.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is expected to travel to Malaysia to meet his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak next month after his scheduled retirement as the army chief at the end of this month.
His visit to Malaysia is aimed at stressing the Thai intention to resume meetings with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN)-led separatist groups and asking Malaysia to keep acting as negotiator in the peace talks between Thailand and the BRN-led separatist groups. With no official appointment of the lead negotiator for Thailand, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur will still keep in touch over the issue through their national security agencies, Mr Thawil added.
Meanwhile, suspected militants killed four people and wounded six others when they launched a gun and bomb attack on a government agency in Khok Pho district of Pattani yesterday.
An unknown number of assailants arrived at the Magrood Tambon Municipality Office (TMO) office in cars and on motorcycles and sprayed bullets into the facility shortly before noon. Among those killed was Magrood municipal clerk Prasit Sinthuuthai, 45, said Khok Pho police investigator Pol Lt Col Surin Chhomwarathayee.
Before fleeing, the attackers placed two explosive devices near the building, which detonated when Magrood TMO officials, paramedics and bystanders rushed to check on Prasit. The blast killed three more men, two officials — Jamnong Nositthi and Jirawat Siripanboon — and a civilian, Sanong Kongmuangpetch.