Peace talks on Thailand's southern unrest postponed indefinitely
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 11 – The Thai government has postponed peace talks with a southern militant group indefinitely, and is reinforcing military strength in the country’s deep South, following escalating violence in the last several days, according to army chief Prayuth Cha-ocha.

He said military forces were instructed to be on the offensive and work closely with 66 related government agencies to deal with militants’ attacks in Thai southern border provinces.

The militants’ attacks were symbolic activities to mark their important days, compelling southern authorities to be on full alert, he said.

The army chief said the fourth round of peace talks with militant group Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), originally scheduled for late this month, would be postponed until every party is ready since the southern militants have split into several factions.

Thailand will increase of number of security officials at the talks, he said, emphasising that the Thai government has not accepted any BRN proposals.

BRN militants are pressuring the government to accept their five demands while the Thai authorities must be patient and avoid retaliations which could lead to the militants further demand for territorial separation, said Gen Prayuth.

He said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was reassured by her Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak during their meeting on the sidelines of the 23rd ASEAN Summit in Brunei that Thailand has been at an advantage since it was the BRN who initially asked for the peace dialogues. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-11

To the Thai military hammer, every issue in the South looks like a nail.

With more military mucking about, should be easy for the militants to pick up lots more weapons off dead soldiers.

Just knew this would happen without Chalerm at the wheel, !!!

regards worgeordie

The BRN laid terms that were impossible to meet on the table, thus dooming the whole process to failure. .....IMO, any organisation that represents the morons who walk into schools and gun down teachers does not deserve any right of negotiation.

stop talking - arrest all BRN leaders and all their followers!

Don't stuff around with the BRM any more. Mount a Major Royal Thai Military Offensive and CRUSH them once and for all!

When oh when are the Thai public going to come to there senses that neither the Military nor the Government has the slightest credibility in dealing with this southern terrorism. For the past twenty years there have been different terrorist factions operating openly in these three provinces. This is not a new development.

This dialogue situation was dead in the water even before it was put on the table and the Generals and the Government new full well it would come to naught.

Just playing for time and for political expediency and for their awareness that the current military could not punch their way out of a wet paper bag. Wake up Thailand.

Don't stuff around with the BRM any more. Mount a Major Royal Thai Military Offensive and CRUSH them once and for all!

Cannot...the Thai military is only good for killing unarmed student demonstrators seeking democratic reforms and overthrowing elected civilian governments. Every time over the past few centuries when they have had to engage in actual military conflict with a foreign power, they've had their butt kicked and their balls handed to them.