FM:OIC understands solutions in Thai far South

BANGKOK, February 8 (TNA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has endorsed its past minutes which included positive reference to Thailand and its satisfaction with the Thai government's solutions to the Thai violence-plagued far South. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Manasvi Srisodapol told journalists on Friday that the OIC had its 12th Summit in Cairo, Egypt's capital, from February 6-7, during which the past minutes were endorsed. Manasvi, who is also Director-General of his ministry's Department of Information, acknowledged that Thai Ambassador to Egypt Chalit Manityakul, who represented Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the two-day OIC Summit, also asked the OIC secretary-general to cooperate with the Thai government on solutions for Muslims in Thailand. According to the spokesman, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs is satisfied with the constructive cooperation of the OIC and considers OIC's actions to benefit cooperation on future solutions for the sake of Muslims in Thailand. The spokesman noted that the OIC's positive stance resulted from Premier Yingluck’s past visits to OIC member states, including Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, where she explained facts to their authorities, leading to their understandings. Besides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs brought OIC diplomats in Thailand to visit Muslims in the southern Thai region last week, making the OIC properly understand and support the Thai government. The spokesman also announced that the Thai prime minister is scheduled to visit Turkey in July 2013, when she will also explain solutions in Thailand. Regarding the government’s plan to impose curfew in the Thai far South, the spokesman assessed that it should not affect the OIC’s perspective on solutions in the southernmost Thai region, as the OIC has been aware of violence in the troubled Thai region and the international community has condemned violent attacks on the innocent, including teachers and volunteers, saying, however, that the Thai government will explain reasons to local people and the international community before imposing the curfew. Meanwhile, Thai Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat stressed that concerned authorities need to consider the proposed curfew in the Thai deep South carefully at the next meeting of the government’s southern operations command on February 15. (TNA)