BANGKOK, Sept 24 –– Thai authorities are still considering the 5-point demands made by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant group but if there was no conclusion yet, the issue should be later aired at the peace dialogue, according to Thai Army commander-in-chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Gen Prayuth said that the Thai authorities have officially received the BRN demands and the agencies concerned — including the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) — were studying and analysing the context cautiously to determine the practicality of each point, that is whether they should be accepted and implemented or not.
The army chief would not say whether a solution had been found or not
not but he reiterated that the security agencies would decide on the
basis of national benefit as their priority.
He said there was no need to hurry in bringing the proposals to any final decision before the next round of peace dialogue with the BRN scheduled on the third week of October.
Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary general of the National Security Council, said that the BRN demands were under the deliberation of security, civic and academic groups and it would need more time to
make any conclusion.
He said the next round of talks would touch on the BRN’s demands, reducing violence in the southernmost provinces and violent attacks during the holy month of Ramadan.
Thai authorities and BRN representatives have already held three rounds of talks with Malaysia acting as facilitator.
