Malaysia key to southern peace and development, says Sihasak

Thailand needs stronger cooperation with Malaysia to tackle long-standing problems in the southern border provinces, Deputy Prime Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said today during his deep South visit.

Sihasak, who also serves as foreign minister, said Kuala Lumpur’s role must go beyond just facilitating the peace talks.

He spoke after meetings with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) and representatives of southern border business networks in Yala.

Sihasak said the situation is complex and involves multiple dimensions, including security, economic development, social issues, identity, justice and foreign affairs.

“These issues cannot be resolved by Thailand alone. They require close cooperation with Malaysia, not only in its role as facilitator of the peace dialogue process,” Sihasak said.

He said Malaysia will also play an important role in future economic connectivity projects, particularly transport infrastructure linking Thailand’s southern border region with neighbouring countries.

Malaysia is seeking to expand its railway network, Sihasak said, adding that Thailand also hopes to use improved rail connectivity as a gateway linking Malaysia with other countries in the region.

Sihasak said the government plans to pursue a more integrated strategy, combining security and economic development, under the principle that security and prosperity must move forward together.

He said the private sector will be a key driver of economic growth in the region, adding that development plans will focus not only on individual provinces but also on strengthening links across the entire southern border region.

Sihasak, who was recently assigned by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to oversee the South, said this was his first official visit to the region in his new role.

He acknowledged that some government efforts in the South had fallen short in the past because of the complexity of the challenges and fragmented coordination among agencies.

To improve policy coordination, Sihasak called for more frequent meetings of the Southern Border Provinces Development Strategy Committee, saying that the body should play a stronger role in translating central government policy into unified implementation on the ground.

He also said the government’s special representatives committee, which he chairs, will work to eliminate siloed operations among ministries and prevent overlapping budgets and projects.

The committee will also support the southern peace dialogue process led by Thanat Suwannanon, head of the government’s peace dialogue panel.

Sihasak said the most sensitive and difficult issues remain questions of identity, justice and fairness, which he described as root causes of unrest in the region.

“Throughout my 40 years at the Foreign Ministry, more than half of my career has been connected to the situation in the South,” he said.

“Now that I have been assigned to oversee the issue directly, I am determined to push forward integrated policies and deliver more concrete progress.”