BANGKOK, Jan 11 – Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung today expressed satisfaction with the result of his high-level talks with Malaysian cabinet members and senior officials on finding resolution to the longstanding troubles in Thailand’s far South.
He said his next move is to meet with Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad who is responsible for development of the Thai-Malaysian economic zone.
Indonesia is next on his Southeast Asian tour in an attempt to seek assistance from neighbouring Muslim countries in ending the decade-old crisis in southern Thailand particularly in Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and certain Songkhla districts.
Mr Chalerm said he met with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, high-ranking cabinet members and security officials during his three-day trip to seek Kuala Lumpur’s cooperation in solving Thailand’s southern unrest.
He also met with operators of more than 6,500 Thai restaurants in 13 Malaysian states who have formed an association called the Tom Yum Kung Club to represent their concerns, and he listened to their grievances.
At least 150,000 Muslim Thais are working in the Tom Yum Kung restaurants without legal work permits. Kuala Lumpur promised to look into the plight of Thai workers and relax its regulations on the employment of migrants.
