Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu on November 20 arrived in Thailand on a two-day visit in an attempt to address crisis in southern Thailand.
Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu (Photo: Malay Mail).
The defence minister said the two countries are looking for
the best way to settle the conflict in southern Thailand and the issue is among
the topics for discussions in the talks with his Thai counterpart, General
Prawit Wongsuwon, and the meeting with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
What happens in southern Thailand affects both nations, so
the two sides must find the best solution to the issue through negotiations,
defence diplomacy and various other means, he said.
Malaysia is the intermediary for the ongoing peace talks
between the Thai government and Mara Patani which actsfor separatist
groups in the South. Residents in southern Thailand have family ties with
Malaysians, especially those living in the border states of Perlis, Kedah and
Kelantan.
Since 2004, armed conflict in the four provinces in southern
Thailand has claimed more than 7,000 lives, according to Deep South Watch (DSW)
which monitors it.
In addition to the southern Thai conflict, Sabu and Prawit
discussed efforts to further boost the bilateral defence ties.
Earlier, shortly after arriving in Bangkok, Sabu visited the
country’s Counter Terrorist Operations Centre (CTOC) belonging to the Royal
Thai Army. The Malaysian Armed Forces had close relations with their Thai
counterparts as well as the armed forces of ASEAN countries in the effort to
counter terrorism and cyber-warfare.
Source:VNA
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