NSC adheres to peaceful solutions to violence-plagued Thai far South

BANGKOK, January 28 (TNA) - The National Security Council (NSC) adheres to peaceful solutions to violent unrest in the Thai far South. Speaking to journalists after chairing an NSC meeting at Bangkok's Government House on Wednesday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha, who is also Chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said the meeting resolved that solutions to the violence-plagued Thai deep South should adhere to peace-promoting strategies and refrain from suppressive military operations. Prime Minister General Prayut revealed that three panels are handling solutions to the restive Thai deep South at three levels, including a policy-making panel, headed by himself, an operational panel, headed by the Royal Thai Army's chief adviser and leader of the Thai government's peace negotiation team for the insugency-hit far South General Aksara Kerdpol, and a local panel, headed by the commanding general of the 4th Army Area Command. The prime minister acknowledged that problems in the Thai far South would be solved in three stages, with the first stage concerning the creation of understanding through the Malaysian facilitator's role by inviting concerned groups for the peace talks, the second stage dealing with the creation of trust, in which there will be talks between groups with different stances and the ratification of a peace agreement, and the third stage concerning the implementation of an agreed peace restoration roadmap. According to the prime minister, there will be no timeframe for peace negotiations in the Thai deep South, as it depends on when Malaysia can gather concerned groups and make them ready for talks, but overall positive signs have been observed. The Thai premier proposed that groups with different stances enter into the negotiating table, rather than arguing via media, and the issue will be raised for a discussion with Malaysian Defence Minister Dato Seri Hishammuddin Bin Tun Hussein on January 29. The Malaysian defence minister is visiting Thailand from January 28-30 to attend the Thai-Malaysian General Border Committee Meeting at the Army Club in Bangkok. Besides, the Thai premier added, the international community will be informed that violent incidents in the Thai far South are internal issues and sensitive matters of people of two religions. (TNA)