A new government peace negotiation team will be established to address the ongoing conflict in the Deep South, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced.
Mr Phumtham said on Wednesday he has not yet determined who will lead the new team, but it could either be the previous team or a newly appointed one. The decision will depend on a thorough review of strategies aimed at resolving the decades-long insurgency.
Chatchai Bangchuad, a deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), previously served as the chief negotiator in peace talks under former prime minister Srettha Thavisin.
However, since Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's recent appointment, a new negotiation team has yet to be selected.
Mr Phumtham said the government aims to convene discussions with all stakeholders within two weeks to establish the new team, emphasising the need to prevent further delays.
He expressed concern over the increasing frequency of violent attacks in the region.
He also questioned whether the current approach is steering the country toward lasting peace, stressing the need for reassessment, as the conflict has persisted for over 20 years without resolution.
Despite previous negotiations, he said, a ceasefire has never been successfully reached.
This raises concerns about whether the opposing political and military groups are truly aligned, he said. If they are, a ceasefire agreement should be possible; if not, further negotiations may prove ineffective.
Recently, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu-Patani (BRN) rebel group criticised the government for delays in forming a new negotiation team, calling on authorities to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace.
The BRN issued a statement expressing concern over the delay, particularly following Ms Paetongtarn's official visit to Malaysia on Dec 16, where she met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss bilateral cooperation, including efforts to build peace in Thailand's southern border provinces.
Mr Phumtham, who is also the defence minister, reaffirmed that the government is actively addressing the Deep South's challenges.
