Govt to respond to BRN's demands soon
The Nation

Group sends ultimatum via Malaysia; Paradorn says they will be considered

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities are expected to issue an official response to Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN)'s latest demands in the next three or four days.

Paradorn Pattanatabutr, secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), said yesterday that the seven demands, which were first announced in a YouTube clip on Monday, had finally arrived officially via Malaysia.

"I will discuss the demands with relevant officials," he said.

Paradorn was speaking after he and Pol Colonel Tawee Sodsong, secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC), met Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung to discuss the demands.

BRN's demands include the withdrawal of most of the troops from the southern region ahead of Ramadan, which will begin in the second week of July.

Paradorn said Thailand would send BRN a response via Malaysia in the next three or four days.

Azis Benhawan, chief adviser to SBPAC, said the group's latest demands actually echoed the wishes of the local peoples. "Some locals have proposed similar ideas such as closing down entertainment venues [one of BRN's demands], but nothing was done," he said.

However, the group Envoy for Peace suggested that BRN prove that it will be able to stop the ongoing wave of violence in the deep South before pushing for its demands.

"If BRN can't control the situation, then there is no need to discuss their demands," Souriya D Tawanchai, the organisation's chairperson, said yesterday.



HOPING FOR PEACEFUL RAMADAN

Souriya has been working to promote peace in Thailand's southernmost region for a long time.

"Let's create a peaceful Ramadan before both sides come together for frank talks. Both sides must be patient," he advised.

He went on to say that BRN's latest demands seem set to endanger the ongoing peace dialogue.

"Whether the Thai government responds to the demands, it depends very much on a joint agreement. So, the BRN should prove that it can stop the ongoing wave of violence in the deep South first," Souriya said.

The government has already held three rounds of negotiations with BRN, yet to date, violence in the deep South continues unabated.

For instance, a bomb exploded in Yala's Muang district yesterday morning, injuring two soldiers patrolling the road to Ban Tasa School.

Lt-General Surapon Puen-aiyaka, a former NSC chief, said peace talks were needed but warned that Thailand would not gain anything if it agreed to BRN's demands without getting anything in return.

Surapon said he believed that BRN would not pull out of the peace dialogue even if the government paid no heed to its latest demands.


-- The Nation 2013-06-27

I thought they had already rejected them. Now I am confused the BRN uses u tube to place it's demands and the Thai government uses the Malaysian Government to respond to them. Doesn't sound to promising to me not that I ever believed it would work in the first place.

If it were down to me the second of the only two words would be"........................off".

According to reports in both The Nation & BKK Post, there is consensus that the BRN-C is ruled by a council known as the Dewan Penilian Party, or DPP, not by a single individual leader. According to Malaysian and BRN-C sources, Hasan has not received the DPP's blessing. Therefore the current process to secure an agreement to enter into negotiations for a "roadmap to peace" still appears to be shrouded in obscurity as to who are the actual decision makers who can represent the insurgency groups. On the Thai government side there is continuing opposition to any peace dialogue, mainly from the military & the Democrat Party, so at this stage no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

A few days back it was also reported that the numbers of insurgents and sympathisers now stands at approx 100k people, not 20k as recently reported.

Has the government managed to make any demands of its own yet? Or do they just respond to order?

I thought they had already rejected them. Now I am confused the BRN uses u tube to place it's demands and the Thai government uses the Malaysian Government to respond to them. Doesn't sound to promising to me not that I ever believed it would work in the first place.

Paradorn Pattanatabutr, secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), said yesterday that the seven demands, which were first announced in a YouTube clip on Monday, had finally arrived officially via Malaysia.

do people actually read before they comment????