Thailand asks Malaysia to deny safe haven to southern insurgents

Thailand will seek Malaysia’s cooperation to prevent those involved in violence in the country’s southern border provinces from using Malaysia as a safe haven, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said yesterday.

Sihasak, who chairs the government's Special Representatives Committee on Resolving Problems in the Southern Border Provinces, said he will convene an urgent meeting of the panel this week.

He said the meeting will focus on the security situation in the three southern border provinces and discuss Malaysia’s role in addressing it.

Authorities also need to examine the circumstances surrounding the recent attacks and determine their underlying causes, he said.

Asked whether the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) had carried out the attacks to compel the government to acknowledge its existence, Sihasak said the government was already aware of the group's presence.

"However, we cannot accept the violence they have carried out," he said.

He added that if the BRN wants to engage in dialogue, it must first reduce the violence and allow authorities to examine the background and motives behind each incident.

He reiterated that the government wants the situation to improve and is determined to prevent the violence from escalating further.

Sihasak said the issue of dual nationals had also been discussed between the two countries, noting that the prime ministers of Thailand and Malaysia had recently met and expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation.

"The southern border provinces are important to Malaysia because they are linked to border security. At the same time, we want to develop the border areas for our mutual benefit," he said.

Sihasak said both he and the government attach great importance to resolving the long-running unrest in the South.