Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's vow to end the southern unrest by next year has raised concerns and prompted questions about how the government actually intends to resolve the issue, a political scholar at Thammasat University said on Wednesday.
In his capacity as an informal adviser to the Asean chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thaksin made a historic visit to the deep South last Sunday. During the visit, he apologised to Muslim families who lost loved ones in the 2004 Tak Bai massacre in Narathiwat, which occurred during his tenure as prime minister. He also pledged to put an end to the violence in the southernmost provinces.
"I don't believe anyone simply wants the southern unrest to end quickly. What matters more is how the problem will be addressed," said Chayanit Poonyarat, a lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science at Thammasat University.
She expressed particular concern over Thaksin's statement that he expects to see positive developments in peace efforts this year, followed by a complete end to the unrest by next year.
"If we rely on the use of force, peace may be temporarily restored, but that won't truly solve the problem," she said.
She urged the government to prioritise peace talks with separatist groups as a more sustainable approach to resolving the conflict. She also noted that the previous peace negotiation team had effectively ceased its role at the end of the Srettha Thavisin administration.
"The ongoing unrest is partly a consequence of Thailand's political instability. Peace talks have been repeatedly disrupted whenever a government is replaced," she said.
Regarding the emergency decree currently in force in the far South to contain violence, she called for a study to assess the law's effectiveness. The findings, she said, would be particularly useful in determining whether the decree should be lifted.
Meanwhile, Adul Khiewboriboon, chairman of the Committee of Relatives of the 1992 Black May Heroes, welcomed Thaksin's apology to the families of those who died in the Tak Bai incident.
Chayanit: 'Talk to rebel groups'
