NSC:Peace talks with insurgents to be continued

BANGKOK, May 7 (TNA) - The National Security Council (NSC) has reiterated that peace talks with representatives of insurgent groups in the Thai far South, led by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgency movement, will be carried on. NSC Secretary-General Lieutenant General Paradorn Pattanatabutr told reporters on Tuesday that his agency's peace negotiations with the insurgent side will proceed although he cannot say whether they will be eventually successful. Lieutenant General Paradorn doubted recent violence in Pattani Province had resulted from the ongoing peace process with the BRN-led insurgent groups, referring to violent incidents at 10 locations in Pattani. The NSC chief said the continual violent incidents have, however, made authorities know that many insurgent groups remain active in the troubled Thai deep South and the information should benefit solutions. The NSC chief also commented that the electoral victory of the ruling party in neighbouring Malaysia should further facilitate the ongoing peace talks, acknowledging that the Thai authorities concerned, in the meantime, are gathering opinions of locals on the peace negotiations. (TNA)