Thailand demands solution to killings

Thailand demands solution to killings

BANGKOK (AFP): Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa yesterday gave his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad two weeks to free three Thai fishermen and resolve a dispute triggered by the killing of two others in Malaysian waters.

"Our prime minister has asked the Malaysian prime minister to resolve the problem before December 28," Siraj Chavanaviraj, deputy permanent secretary of the Thai foreign ministry, told reporters after talks between Banharn and Mahathir.

Siraj said the two sides expected the problem would be resolved by the deadline and there was no discussion about what would happen if Malaysia failed to respond.

The talks were held on the sidelines of a summit of leaders of the seven-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Banharn told Mahathir that the death of the two fishermen on Nov. 6 after a Malaysian navy patrol craft opened fire on a 20- ton fishing boat had stirred a "serious internal political problem" for the Thai government.