Malaysia tightens Thai border security, to appoint facilitators for southern Thailand peace talks

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — Malaysia has increased security at its borders with Thailand, particularly in forested areas, in response to recent attacks in the southern region, Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced today. The armed forces are bolstering monitoring at the borders to stop insurgents from crossing into Malaysia and spreading the violence there, Mohamed Khaled stated at a press conference at the Defence Ministry.

He emphasized that Malaysia will not let violent groups, who refuse to participate in the peace process in southern Thailand, hide or operate within its territory. "We will extend our full cooperation to Thai authorities to ensure they do not use Malaysia as a sanctuary," Mohamed Khaled assured reporters. The nation plans to appoint facilitators for the forthcoming peace talks between Thai authorities and insurgent factions, as the country possesses firsthand knowledge of the conflict and its involved parties.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to appoint these facilitators shortly. The Prime Minister's office has sought suggestions from the relevant parties, and the government has provided them. This decision comes after Datuk Rabin Mohd Basir, a long-time facilitator and former National Security Council director-general, had his contract expire.

Since last weekend, a series of coordinated assaults across several southern Thai provinces have set ablaze government buildings and vehicles, causing injuries to three individuals. The ongoing insurgency between Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) rebels and the Thai government, which has been raging since 2004, has resulted in over 7,000 fatalities, according to figures from Deep South Watch.