The chief of the Southern Border Provinces Peace Dialogue declared an indefinite postponement of talks with separatist groups from September until a response is received regarding the violence in Narathiwat, and revealed reports that Malaysia is changing the facilitator.
At 08:00 on 28 Jul 2026 at Sanam Luang, Thanat Suwannanon, Director of the National Intelligence Agency and head of the Southern Border Provinces Peace Dialogue, spoke about progress after the recent violence in the south. He said the talks had started well but suddenly incidents occurred and statements were issued while technical teams were engaged in dialogue, which was strange. He believes the separatists remain confused about how to deal with the new dialogue team. Following the recent violence in Narathiwat, the September 2026 talks will not take place. He posed a question to the separatists to clarify what happened and why they decided to carry out the violence before continuing talks. Hence, the September talks, which had been preliminarily scheduled through the Malaysian facilitator, will be cancelled.
"But given the violent incident we have seen, it was too severe to accept. We were in the middle of talks when this happened. I understand the fighters may have acted on instinct to carry out the attack, but since we had begun dialogue, such an incident means we must start over," Thanat said. . Thanat said.
When asked if the separatists have responded to the questions, Thanat said no, as he just sent the questions. Asked if there was coordination with Malaysia, he said no and that he heard Malaysia plans to replace the facilitator because currently there is a vacuum. They are waiting to see what Malaysia will do after the Thai delegation's visit there.
When pressed on whether they will continue to wait without a reply from the separatists, Thanat said they can send signals or questions through representatives, intermediaries, or any available channels to express their thoughts and await a response.
Asked if the firm stance of Thai security forces, especially the military, might hinder talks with the separatists, Thanat said he thinks not, as both sides have their own strategies. What matters is that they move forward together, not separately. The military will carry out its strategies, and the dialogue team will pursue peaceful approaches, such as sending questions about what happened.
Asked if there is intelligence information about this incident, Thanat said it is unusual, but intelligence pieces together events rather than assuming hypotheses. The incident in Narathiwat is not the first of this type. Attacks there have often been captured on CCTV and perpetrators have displayed themselves, which has been a long-standing pattern.
When asked about early August, an important date for the separatists, and whether intelligence is monitoring for further attacks, Thanat said they never count on specific dates since important dates occur year-round. They believe any lapse in vigilance could present opportunities for attacks, and the separatists may watch for any signs of laxity.
Asked if the Prime Minister has given instructions on this matter, Thanat said the PM consistently signals that dialogue is one way to resolve problems but is a long-term, not short-term, solution. Talks should not happen immediately after incidents; they must follow appropriate timing.
Asked if he feels burdened by his new role as head of the peace dialogue team, Thanat said no, expressing confidence that progress can continue. Although tensions may exist, there will be adjustments on how to lower the level and resume talks. Operational sides still coordinate and maintain communication.