Malaysia, Thailand May Balk at Insurgency Resolution

Bangkok has long struggled to pacify Thailand's southernmost areas, where Muslim insurgents in Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla province have fought against Thai rulers for decades. A peace agreement signed Oct. 15 by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front led some in Thailand to believe Malaysia, which mediated the Philippine treaty, would likewise mediate their dispute. Indeed, its large Muslim population, its religious, ethnic, linguistic and commercial ties to many of the insurgents and its border with Thailand ostensibly make Malaysia ideally suited for arbitration. But some of those same factors have prevented Kuala Lumpur from fully involving itself in the dispute. While recent upticks of violence may compel Kuala Lumpur to adjust its position — in some ways, it already has — the upcoming election season in Malaysia will prevent officials from becoming overly involved. For its part, Thailand also faces political obstacles to moving forward with negotiations.