Thai side seeks to resume BRN talks

Thai side seeks to resume BRN talks

The government has sent a signal to the Malaysian facilitator and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) that it is ready to resume peace talks negotiations next month, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said on Tuesday.

Lt Gen Paradorn, who heads the Thai delegation, said that he is waiting for a reply from Malaysia and the BRN.

His remark came on the heels of yesterday's violence in Narathiwat's Bacho district in which three explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) police officers were killed in what appeared to be a carefully prepared bomb trap.

The NSC chief said the militants were focusing their attacks on the authorities.

The government forces, therefore, have to be more careful, he added.

Early this month the NSC indefinitely postponed the peace talks with the BRN, initially scheduled for Oct 20, explaining it was not ready to resume the negotiations.

At the time, Lt Gen Paradorn said another reason for the delay was to avoid meeting with the BRN with the ninth anniversary of the Tak Bai killings in Narathiwat drawing near. The anniversary falls on Oct 25.

He said the NSC was concerned the BRN would cite the Tak Bai tragedy as a lever to announce more demands.

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