Positive sign of peace restoration seen in Thai Far South

BANGKOK, July 23 (TNA) - Violent unrest in the Thai Far South during the recently-ended holy month of Ramadan of Muslims was less than the corresponding period of last year, which is considered a positive sign that peace talks between representatives of the Thai government and insurgent groups should produce a fruitful result. Speaking in his capacity as the head of the Thai government's peace negotiation team for the violence-plagued Thai Far South, General Aksara Kerdpol, Chief Advisor to the Royal Thai Army, told journalists on Thursday that the positive sign should lead to further negotiations with other insurgent groups who have different ideologies with the state. General Aksara acknowledged that peace talks held between the Thai government and insurgent groups so far have received good cooperation from the Malaysian government, which acts as “facilitator” of the ongoing peace negotiation process in the southern border Thai region. General Aksara said the initial success on the cooperation did not stem from the trust on him from insurgent groups but on the determination and sincerity expressed by the Malaysian and Thai prime ministers in resolving problems in the southernmost Thai region. General Aksara revealed that negotiations, aimed at restoring peace in the troubled Thai Deep South, have been held with six insurgent groups and none of them have proposed any demand, but have expressed their readiness to provide cooperation in building peace, in which an appropriate way has to be jointly implemented. The head of the Thai government's negotiation team stressed that building trust is the most significance factor from now on for peace negotiations between representatives of the Thai government and insurgent groups. (TNA)