Peace talks are in parallel with military operations in Thai far South

BANGKOK, April 22 (TNA) - Defence Minister Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol Suwanatat says that dialogues with insurgent groups in the Thai far South, aimed at ending persistent violence over the past nine years, and military operations are to be carried on parallelly to, particularly, suppress insurgents killing innocent people. Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol confirmed on Monday that the next round of peace talks, the second of its kind, between the Thai government, through the National Security Council (NSC), and insurgent groups will be held in Malaysia on April 29, after the first round of such talks was held late last month, also in Malaysia, the mediator of the negotiations. Air Chief Marshal Sukumpol told journalists that once the negotiations have any consequences both issues will then be interconnected, acknowledging that seeking peace in the troubled Thai deep South will take time before achieving a result. Asked about security measures to be given on the ninth anniversary of the Krue Se mosque incident in the southernmost Pattani Province on April 28, when people were killed by state security forces, the Thai defence minister insisted that security agencies are to fully take care of the situation every day. According to the Thai defence minister, trained police forces will be dispatched to the Thai far South next month to replace part of soldiers. (TNA)