Bangkok is going to unilaterally review the terms of reference (TOR), aka rule of peace talk, of the peace dialogue with the Muslim Malay insurgents. Meanwhile, the delegates of the insurgents groups are disappointed with junta leader discouraging the talks.
On Saturday, 7 May 2016, Gen Aksara Kerdphol, the head of Thailand’s peace talks team, said that the National Security Council is going to host a meeting to review the TOR of the deep south peace talks and will invite representatives from various government agencies, such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and the National Intelligence Agency to the meeting, reported Dailynews.
Earlier Bangkok almost reached an agreement on TOR last month, which basically set rules of the talk, with the insurgents. The move ended abruptly when Lt Gen Nakrob Bunbuathong, then Thailand’s peace talk head, was removed from the post of head of Thai delegates.
According to Rungravee Chalermsripinyorat, an expert on Deep South conflict, His removal seems to have had a considerable impact on the talks since MARA delegates felt comfortable working with him.
Aksara said that the TOR needed to be reviewed to assure the peace talk will comply with international laws and satisfy every sectors.
“There was a disagreement between two sides. Their side wants a ceasefire first and then build confidence later on. We think that this method is odd. If they want us to trust them, insurgents must be gone and people must be safe first,” Dailynews quoted Aksara as saying.
According to Deep South Journalist School, Shukri Hari, delegate head of the Mara Patani, the umbrella organization of the independence movements, recently said on the behalf of Mara Patani, that he was concerned by the PM’s speech which discourages peace talks even though he is optimistic in the TOR and Roadmap collaborations with the Thai government.
“The Thai PM has said that in a sense that the peace talks is just only a false promise despite the fact that we are in the process of confidence building,” said Shukri.
On 29 April 2016, Khaosod reported that Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta head and PM, said that the peace talks were very difficult to achieve since the agendas of both sides were different and the government would not negotiate with the law violators.
“We always avoid the talks but the previous government wanted it so I am resolving it right now,” Khaosod quoted Prayut as saying.
Gen Aksara Kerdphol (left) and Shukri Hari (right)