Bangkok - Visiting Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim on Wednesday pledged that his government would continue to assist Thailand in solving the continuing violence which has rocked Thailand‘s Muslim-majority South more than four years, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister/Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
Mr Somchai said the assurance was made during his 45-minute meeting with the Malaysian foreign minister who is making a three-day introductory visit to Thailand, beginning Tuesday.
The two neighbouring countries are members of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Thanking Malaysia for being a good neighbour and sharing a common border with Thailand, Mr Somchai said the Thai government‘s policy is for peace, because if a neighbour has a problem, the countries cannot live in peace.
Some 3,500 persons have been killed in deep southern Thailand by insurgents since renewed violence began in January 2004.
Both men also discussed the ongoing political situation in Thailand in which members and supporters of the People‘s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his coalition government for more than a month.
Mr Somchai said he had told Mr. Rais that the demonstration is allowed under the Thai constitution and that he is optimistic that the Thai government would solve the problem.
He said he had also thanked the Malaysian government through Mr Rais for offering 60 scholarships to Thai students to further their studies in Malaysia. (TNA)
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com (July 02, 2008)