Thai Deputy Prime Minister Siha Sakt calls meeting on southern insurgency with Malaysia

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Siha Sakt announced he will convene a special government representatives meeting this week to address the ongoing insurgency in Thailand’s three southern provinces. The talks will focus on cooperation with Malaysia to prevent the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militants from using Malaysian territory as safe‑havens, and on resolving issues concerning individuals holding dual Thai‑Malaysian citizenship.

Sakt stressed that while the BRN’s violent actions are unacceptable, any dialogue must be conducted peacefully. He referred to a recent meeting between the Thai and Malaysian prime ministers that underscored the importance of close border‑security collaboration and joint development of the border area. The minister also dismissed a Taiwanese statement supporting a “One‑China” policy as unrelated to Thailand’s internal security concerns.