Mahathir says no to 'megaphone diplomacy'

Mahathir says no to 'megaphone diplomacy'

THAILAND: Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad expressed hopes on Tuesday that Thailand and Malaysia would drop their "megaphone diplomacy" in dealing with the troubled southern region that defines their border.

Mahathir suggested in talks with former Thai prime minister Anand Panyarachun that while the insurgency in Thailand's southern border region was Thailand's internal affair, frequent leadership-level talks could help clear up misunderstandings between the two neighbors, said the state-run Thai News Agency.

He also said he hoped Malaysia and Thailand would not use "megaphone diplomacy" to solve problems, Anand said after meeting Malaysia's senior statesman.

Mahathir, no stranger to "megaphone diplomacy" himself during his more than 20 years as Malaysian prime minister, has irked Thailand with his comments about the situation in the kingdom's deep south, comprising the majority Muslim provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala that border Malaysia.

Mahathir's suggestion that the insurgency could be ended by granting the area autonomy sparked a fierce backlash from Bangkok, and accusations that the former prime minister was siding with separatist militants. --DPA