Thailand opened its first formal peace talks with a rebel group from its insurgency-wracked south Thursday, as a fresh bombing killed three people in a stark reminder of the difficulties negotiators face.
The talks with representatives from the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgent group, expected to last one day, will focus on reducing bloodshed, Thai National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said, warning the overall peace process would take time.
"Today's main focus is to reduce violence. Today we will focus on building mutual trust and good relations," Paradorn told reporters in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, where the meeting was being held.
"I am confident that they will communicate our message to their militants but because BRN is a large organisation we have to give them some time."
The insurgency in the country's southernmost Muslim-majority provinces, which border Malaysia, has seen more than 5,500 people killed over the past nine years.
The meeting marks Thailand's first formal peace dialogue with rebels linked to the insurgency, which is being carried out by a number of shadowy groups.
Thailand blamed an early morning bombing that killed three people on militants seeking to sabotage peace efforts, underscoring the difficulties that lie ahead.
Three Thai paramilitaries were killed and five wounded in a roadside bombing targeting a security patrol in the southern province of Narathiwat.
"Violence this morning is related to the talks in Malaysia," Thai deputy prime minister Chalerm Yubamrung said in Bangkok.
He said not all militants supported the talks, reiterating the view of many experts who say there is a generational gap between older insurgents who want to negotiate and more militant younger members.
Chalerm also cast doubt on the BRN representative's authority to negotiate.
"I am not confident either they are real core leaders," he said.
Paradorn had said Wednesday that during the talks Thailand would seek to secure the halting of attacks on civilian targets so it can determine whether the BRN envoys actually control battle-hardened militants on the ground.
Little is known about the various militant groups' identities, structures or aims.
There is near-daily violence in southern Thailand including bombings, ambushes and even beheadings.
The BRN, whose Malay name means "National Revolutionary Front", is one of the larger groups held responsible by Thailand for the violence.
Paradorn said Thailand hoped other groups would join future talks.
"I see BRN as the largest and most influential group behind the unrest, so after the talks BRN can spread the word to their fighters and then we will see a concrete result," he said.
Muslim-majority Malaysia has already hosted negotiations between the Philippines and Muslim separatists in that country which resulted in a landmark agreement in October aimed at burying a decades-long insurgency there.
The roots of the Thai insurgency draw on long-standing Malay nationalist antipathy to rule by Buddhist Thailand, which started when Bangkok annexed the region in 1902.
AFP
Thu Mar 28 2013
VOP akan diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan - Ahmad
Pelaksanaan Syarat Perubahan Harga (VOP) susulan penyasaran subsidi diesel dijangka diselesaikan dalam tempoh sebulan lagi, kata Timbalan Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Industri minyak sawit disaran guna semula sisa untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan - Liew
Industri minyak sawit perlu mengkaji penggunaan semula sisa sebagai stok suapan penting untuk bahan api penerbangan mampan (SAF), di luar penggunaan tradisional minyak sawit.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab.
MAA semak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan 2024 kepada 765,000 unit
Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA) telah menyemak semula unjuran jualan kenderaan bermotor baharu bagi 2024 kepada 765,000 unit daripada anggaran sebelumnya sebanyak 740,000 unit.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya.
Rasionalisasi RON95 dijangka beri impak lebih besar kepada PKS - SAMENTA
SAMENTA menjangkakan rasionalisasi RON95 akan memberi impak yang lebih besar kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) berbanding pelarasan subsidi diesel.
Malaysia sasar pengeluaran 40 peratus sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030
Malaysia menyasarkan pengeluaran 40 peratus hasil sektor akuakultur menjelang 2030 dalam usaha membantu mengimbangi keperluan perikanan negara.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
PAC beri tempoh tiga bulan kepada HRD Corp
Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) memberi tempoh tiga bulan kepada Perbadanan Pembangunan Sumber Manusia (HRD Corp) untuk mengemukakan laporan tindakan susulan terhadap syor jawatankuasa itu.
Kylian Mbappe tandatangan kontrak dengan Real Madrid
Bintang bola sepak Perancis Kylian Mbappe menandatangani kontrak selama lima tahun dengan kelab Sepanyol Real Madrid pada Selasa.
Ketegangan Selatan Thai: Belum capai kata sepakat, tapi setuju JCPP - BRN
Perincian mengenai JCPP dijangka dibincangkan dalam Mesyuarat Pasukan Teknikal kedua-dua pihak, yang dijadual dalam masa terdekat.
Kerajaan Thailand, BRN rangka draf perjanjian teruskan rundingan damai
BRN berkata pertemuan antara ketua perunding Jeneral Wanlop Rugsanaoh dan BRN dijangka diadakan tidak lama lagi.
Dialog Selatan Thai: Panel Kerajaan Thailand dan BRN capai tiga substantif
Mesyuarat Rasmi Proses Dialog Damai Selatan Thailand Kali-4 secara bersemuka antara Panel Kerajaan Thailand dan Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) capai tiga substantif secara prinsip am.
Rundingan damai selatan Thailand akan diadakan di KL bulan depan
Rundingan damai selatan Thailand yang tergendala akibat pandemik COVID-19 akan diadakan secara bersemuka di Kuala Lumpur pada bulan depan.
Rundingan untuk keamanan selatan Thailand diadakan secara maya
Mesyuarat yang diadakan secara maya itu disifatkan sebagai sangat berjaya dan memberangsangkan.
BRN setuju sertai proses dialog damai dengan kerajaan Thailand
Kumpulan pemisah Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani (BRN) bersetuju untuk menyertai proses dialog damai bersama kerajaan Thailand bagi menyelesaikan konflik ketegangan di selatan negara itu.
PM Thailand minta tiga tuntutan BRN dirujuk kepada Malaysia
Kerajaan Thai memberitahu Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) agar menyampaikan tiga tuntutannya kepada Malaysia, yang bertindak selaku fasilitator dalam proses damai yang sedang berjalan.
Keganasan di Bangkok turut jejaskan siri dialog seliaan Malaysia
Empat siri dialog melibatkan kerajaan Thailand dan kumpulan pemisah Barisan Revolusi Nasional telah ditangguhkan hampir setahun.
Kerajaan Thailand tandatangan perjanjian dengan kumpulan pemisah
Kerajaan Thailand pada Khamis buat julung kalinya menandatangani perjanjian dengan kumpulan pemisah selatan negara itu.