Panu Wongcha­um

BANGKOK (Reuters] – Thai rebels, who have been excluded from the peace negotiations, claimed responsibility Saturday for bombings at the country’s Muslim majority deep south. These attacks broke a Ramadan holiday that was agreed upon between the government and main rebel group.

Kasturi Mahkota told Reuters that the terrorist group “G5” was responsible for Friday’s explosions, one of which left a dead civilian, and three others with injuries.

Since 2004, more than 7300 people were killed in fighting between government officials and shadowy groups that sought independence for Malay-Muslim Provinces Narathiwat Yala, Pattani, Pattani, and some parts of Songkhla. This area belonged to the Patani Sultanate, which Thailand annexed under a 1909 treaty.

Mahkota stated by phone that the attacks in Pattani are “business as usual”, for PULO. He was not part of talks between the government of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, (BRN) which had agreed to cease violence from the Muslim holy month Ramadan through May 14th.

Colonel Kiatisak Neewong spoke on behalf of the Thai security forces south and said that bombings aimed to disrupt the Ramadan truce were most likely the work of a group which was not part in the peace negotiations.

At the peace negotiations, the Thai delegation and the BRN refused to comment.

Kasturi stated that talks have not been inclusive enough, and is moving too fast. He said his group objected to an agreement which would eliminate the possibility of Thailand becoming independent from Buddhist-majority Thailand.

These talks are aimed at finding a political solution for the long-running conflict in Thailand within the context of the Thai constitution. The talks were first held in 2013 and have been disrupted numerous times since then. Since 2013, talks have been disrupted frequently. The most recent round began in 2019.