Thai authorities ready to hold peace talks with all insurgent groups

BANGKOK, January 27 (TNA) - The Thai government is ready to have its concerned authorities to hold peace talks with representatives of all insurgent groups in the Thai far South. National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Anusit Kunakorn told journalists of the policy on Tuesday, after the Cabinet's weekly meeting at Bangkok's Government House, saying that Malaysia, the facilitator of the ongoing peace process between the Thai government and insurgent groups in the Thai deep South, is working to arrange with which group of insurgents should join in the next round of peace talks. Anusit acknowledged that the Thai government side, led by chief advisor of the Royal Thai Army General Aksara Kerdpo as the chief negotiator for the peace talks, is working with Malaysia. Anusit admitted that not much progress has been made regarding the next round of peace talks, aimed at restoring peace in the restive southern border Thai region. Malaysia has been the facilitator of the peace process between Thai security authorities and insurgent groups in the Thai far South since February 2013, when NSC signed a historic dialogue deal with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional insurgency movement (BRN). Three rounds of Malaysia-brokered peace talks have taken place so far. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the violence-plagued southernmost Thai region since early 2004. (TNA)