New Thai Chief Negotiator Confident Malaysia Can Accelerate Southern Thailand Peace Process
PATTANI (Thailand), June 8 (Bernama) -- Thailand’s newly appointed chief negotiator for the Southern Thailand Peace Dialogue, Thanat Suwannanont, has expressed confidence that Malaysia, as the facilitator, can help accelerate efforts to resolve the long-running conflict in the country’s southern provinces.
Thanat said he and his team have been on a working visit to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat since Saturday to gather views and recommendations from local residents, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and community leaders regarding the current situation in the region.
He said the feedback and proposals collected during the visit will be brought to the first round of talks scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from June 12 to 14.
“I visited the area to better understand the needs and aspirations of the local people. They hope their views and recommendations will be presented at the negotiating table in Malaysia to help bring an end to the prolonged conflict.
“Malaysia plays an important role as facilitator in this round of peace talks. I am confident that Malaysia’s experience and capabilities will contribute positively to strengthening the negotiation process and finding a lasting solution,” he told Bernama after concluding his visit to Pattani.
On May 14, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul appointed Thanat, who is also Director of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), as Thailand’s new chief negotiator for peace talks with the separatist group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN).
The appointment also reaffirmed the Thai government’s confidence in Malaysia’s role as facilitator of the peace dialogue process.
Malaysia’s facilitator is Mohd Rabin Basir, a former Director-General of the National Security Council, who was appointed on July 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, 47 NGOs and CSOs in southern Thailand have also expressed hope that Malaysia will play a greater role in helping ensure the success of the negotiations.
Chairman of the Southern Thailand Civil Society Council, Lamai Manakan, said Malaysia is not only capable of facilitating the talks but can also serve as a mediator to help bridge differences between the parties involved.
“We sincerely hope Malaysia can help Thailand bring an end to the violence that has persisted since 2004. Malaysia has the experience, good relations with all sides and the ability to help resolve issues that continue to hinder the peace process,” he said.
He also expressed hope that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would allow the facilitator to carry out his responsibilities independently, professionally and without pressure from any party.
The Southern Thailand peace dialogue process has been stalled since December 2025 following Anutin’s resignation as prime minister to contest Thailand’s general election held on Feb 8, 2026.
Among the proposals submitted by the 47 NGOs and CSOs to Thailand’s new chief negotiator are calls for all parties to cease violence against civilians, including women and children, and to ensure that all relevant stakeholders in southern Thailand are included in the peace process.
-- BERNAMA
