​Thai-Malaysia to foster cooperations to solve problems at border

BANGKOK, Nov 18 (TNA) – Thailand and Malaysia pledge to join forces in addressing the problems in restive South of Thailand, said Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan said after talks with Malaysia’s Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein earlier this week. Gen Prawit, who is also the defence minister met his Malaysian counterpart at the unofficial ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane. Gen Prawit said that two sides held talks on the problems related to people, holding dual Thai-Malaysian citizenship. A joint committee was set to find solution and Thailand has already submitted names with dual citizenship to Malaysia for investigation. There is much progress in cooperation, the Thai defence minister said. However, Thailand wants a joint working committee to be formed under the mechanism of the General Border Committee (GBC ), so they can bring the issue on the table for consideration. Regarding talks on transnational crime, human trafficking, border demarcation, the concrete results is expected soon with clearer guidelines of cooperation. The ASEAN’s Defence Minister Meeting did not talked about the US newly-elected president, he added. It has to wait until Donald Trump official takes the presidential post and announced his security policy towards Asia. (TNA)