Thanut Suvarnananda told officials and civic groups in a meeting in Pattani on Sunday (June 7) he would listen to recommendations and concerns from all stakeholders, reports the Bangkok Post.
He said the government will soon renew talks with the insurgency umbrella group Barisan Revolusi Nasional in an attempt to restore peace in the southern border region.
Details of his address were posted on the Facebook page of the Civil Society Council of Southernmost Thailand, a non-governmental organisation.
Mr Thanut said the Thai negotiating team “will not walk alone” in the process. Officials would take into reconsideration advice from all groups affected by southern violence.
Representatives of the council were present at the weekend talks in Pattani, where Mr Thanut was collecting opinions ahead of the new round of peace talks set for Kuala Lumpur from Friday to Monday.
The council and 46 other non-governmental bodies proposed that Thai negotiators focus on reducing violence, seeking political solutions and respecting human rights principles in talks with the separatist group.
In an interview with Malaysian news agency Bernama, the new chief negotiator said the civic organisations hoped that their input would be part of the renewed talks.
“They hope their views and recommendations will be presented at the negotiating table in Malaysia to help bring an end to the prolonged conflict,” he was quoted as saying on Monday.
Mr Thanut, who is also the National Intelligence Agency chief, was appointed the new “chief of peace dialogue” by Prime Minister Auntin Charnvirakul last month, as Thailand looked to resume peace negotiations that have been stalled for almost two years.
The peace talks are being moderated by Malaysia, led by Mohd Rabin Basir, a former chief of the Malaysian National Security Council.