Mahathir to talk on Thai south unrest

Mahathir to talk on Thai south unrest

THAILAND: Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was expected in Thailand later on Monday for talks as an Islamic insurgency in Thailand's south has strained ties between the two countries.

The private visit, which includes a meeting with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, comes amid near daily killings in the three Muslim-majority provinces bordering Malaysia.

A key point in the discussions is expected to be the flight of 131 Thai Muslims to Malaysia in August, which has hurt relations between the neighbors.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi offered on Saturday to do all he could to resolve the lingering row, saying "We want to help in any way we can," after a meeting with Thaksin in South Korea.

Security analysts have said the situation in southern Thailand, where more than 1,000 people have died in the unrest since January 2004, could spread and destabilize Southeast Asia if not properly handled.

Mahathir, who after two years has not faded quietly into retirement, said in September that Malaysia should offer asylum to the Thai Muslims. He also called on Thailand to give autonomy to the southern provinces -- a suggestion that Thai leaders have rejected. -- AFP