Thailand is looking to bolster its partnership with Indonesia to tackle regional issues such as the Rohingya boat people and the democratic process in Myanmar. It has also expressed hope Jakarta can help the predominantly Buddhist country end its decades-old conflict in the Muslim-majority south.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post in Jakarta during his three-day visit to Indonesia recently, Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Panich Vikitsreth said his government appreciated the strong relations it had with Indonesia.

His visit is a follow-up to that of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in February.

Thailand, Vikitsreth said, is still hoping to learn from the historic 2005 peace deal between Jakarta and then Aceh rebels, as violence escalates in the country's restive southern region where Muslim separatists thrive.

He stressed, however, that separatism was an internal matter that should be solved by Thai people, ruling out the possibility of third-party involvement in a peace negotiation.

Having discussed the Aceh peace process with his Indonesian counterpart, Triyono Wibowo, and the governor of Aceh province, Irwandi Yusuf, the Thai deputy minister said, "One of the things I have learned ... *is that* we have to be clear about the people we are dealing with, and we have to understand that the situation that leads to violence and the use of aggression or military action is not a solution."

He added Indonesia could help by providing intelligence information on the people involved in the separatist movement in his country.

"I'm not saying they are in Indonesia, Malaysia or anywhere; they could be somewhere else. But I think in terms of the intelligence, we need the support of the Indonesian government."

Triyono and Irwandi had been invited to Thailand to visit the troubled southern regions and gauge the situation there.

At the regional level, Vikitsreth said both countries were committed to settling the Rohingya issue, which he said was a regional problem that should be resolved through concerted cooperation and involve the related countries, such as Bangladesh and Australia.

The Rohingyas are the disenfranchised Muslim minority in Myanmar, who are fleeing persecution by the military regime in Yangon. Many have taken to the sea to seek asylum in Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

"We at the Thai Foreign Ministry have talked with our counterparts in Myanmar and Bangladesh. The identification of the Rohingyas has to be clear; to know what should and what should not be taken," Vikitsreth said.

"The most important thing I'd like to convey is that they are human beings, and must be treated as human beings. We do not have any policy or intention to hurt them. But we have to be careful of people that enter Thailand. If they enter *through* the wrong ways, we have to deport them."

Indonesia and Thailand have brought the Rohingya issue to the Bali Process forum, which was set up to find solutions to curb and cope with rising illegal immigration in the Asia Pacific. The forum will hold an ad hoc meeting in July.

As chair of ASEAN and sharing a border with Myanmar, Vikitsreth also discussed the case of Aung San Suu Kyi with Triyono, highlighting the sensitivity of the issue but at the same time ensuring the bloc "would do anything to bring back the peaceful democratic process in Myanmar".

"We would like to see the election next year go through the right manner. We would like to see the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. We have sent a strong message to the Myanmar government," he said.

Thailand will host the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting/ASEAN Regional Forum, during which the Myanmar issue will likely be a highlight, following the failure by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to meet Suu Kyi when he visited the country earlier this month.

With regard to bilateral relations, Thailand is keen to expanding trade relations with Indonesia, particularly in the fishery industry.

Vikitsreth also had discussions with Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi during his visit.

"We are looking into opportunities in other areas with value added, such as cold storage and food processing," he said, adding the Thai government supported Indonesia's tough stance against illegal fishing, including that carried out by Thai fishermen.

"Relations have to be protected from the wrongdoings of some fishing companies."

A few hours before returning to Bangkok, the Thai envoy visited the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to look into other investment areas such as energy, trade, healthcare and, the country's most important sector, tourism.

"It is very important for both Thai people to come to invest here and for Indonesians to come and invest in Thailand," he said.

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