Thailand and Malaysia collaborate bilaterally as "Sihasak and Thanat" meet with Malaysia's Foreign Minister to focus on combating transnational crime and developing border regions. Attention is on Malaysia's announcement of a new facilitator for peace talks to resolve unrest in the southern region.
On 7 Sep 2026 GMT+7 in Malaysia, Mr. Sihasak Puangketkaew, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, together with Mr. Thanat Suwannanet, Director of the National Intelligence Agency and head of the Southern Border Peace Negotiation team, held talks with Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hassan, Malaysia's Foreign Minister, and Dato’ Raja Nursirawan bin Sinal Abidin, Secretary-General and Chief of the Malaysian National Security Council, to jointly drive concrete bilateral cooperation initiatives between the two countries.
The discussions focused on enhancing border security, advancing efforts to combat transnational crime, and promoting connectivity and development in border areas to improve the quality of life for people on both sides. Additionally, these talks prepared strategic issues to be jointly advanced at key meetings hosted by Thailand this year: the 16th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JC) and the 7th Ministerial Meeting on Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS).
Watch for change in the appointment of the Southern unrest peace process "facilitator."
A key highlight attracting attention at this high-level security officials’ meeting was Malaysia's planned official notification of the appointment of a new "facilitator for the Southern Border Peace Process" to the Thai side. This marks a pivotal change and important step in continuing the peace-building process in the southern border region alongside Thailand’s new working team led by Mr. Thanat Suwannanet.
