Mahathir, who is on a two-day visit to the country beginning today, said the conflict in southern Thailand was an opportunity for both nations to display their friendship.
“We pledge to help in whatever way possible to end the violence in southern Thailand. We sincerely want to help reduce and end the problem altogether,” he said at a joint media conference with his Thai counterpart Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Government House here today.
Earlier, both leaders and their delegations held a bilateral meeting at the same venue where they discussed various issues of common interest.
Malaysia is the facilitator for the ongoing peace talks between the Thai government and Mara Patani (Majlis Syura Patani), which acts for separatist groups in the south.
Since 2004, the armed conflict in the four provinces in southern Thailand has claimed more than 7,000 lives.
Former Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor, who was recently appointed as the facilitator to the peace talks, was also present during the joint media conference.
Malaysia, Mahathir said, is grateful to Thailand for its assistance when the country battled terrorism and wanted to return the favour to help Bangkok find a solution to the conflict in the south.
Besides the problem in the south, Mahathir said he also wanted both countries to increase bilateral trade.
“Bilateral trade which has shown an increase of 17.9% in 2018 can be further increased when problems related to bureaucracy at the border crossings are solved,” said the prime minister.
More than 70% of the trade between Malaysia and Thailand comprised trading at the border.
Mahathir said the border crossing in Bukit Kayu Hitam would open 24 hours in order to facilitate more trade between both countries and there were also plans to build two bridges to connect Pengkalan Kubor and Takbai and Rantau Panjang and Sungai Golok.
The ferry service between Langkawi and Satun is boosting visitor arrivals for both countries and it could further boost trade between Thailand and Malaysia, he said.
On Asean, Mahathir said the regional grouping is a strong economic region with a population of more than 600 million and he wanted more efforts to increase intra-trade between its members.
“With a population of 600 million, Asean is a big domestic market,” he said, adding that Asean leaders will meet to discuss how to increase intra-trade within the regional grouping.
Thailand will assume the Asean chairmanship next year.
Meanwhile, Prayut in his remarks, said he had a frank and constructive discussion with his Malaysian counterpart on the peace talks that are being facilitated by Kuala Lumpur.
“I assured him that the dialogue will continue, with Malaysia as the facilitator. It shall be carried out, however, within the framework of Thailand’s constitution,” he said.
He said the two countries would expand the scope of cooperation to include other areas such as border security, economic development and measures to tackle issues including terrorism and extremism.
Prayut also said he regarded Mahathir as a statesman and a senior leader of the region and the world.