The Thai delegation was led by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Tanasak Patimapragorn, who discussed the handling of the ongoing conflicts in southern Thailand with Kalla.

The Vice President'€™s deputy secretary for political affairs, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, said the Thai delegation'€™s visit was mainly to request assistance due to the fact that Kalla had previously helped the Thai government handle the insurgency during his tenure as vice president alongside former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono between 2004 and 2009.

'€œIndonesia has been asked to assist in handling the conflict, mostly because of our experience in dealing with religious insurgencies such as what has happened in Poso [Central Sulawesi] and our position as a Muslim majority country,'€ Dewi said on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Kalla was also briefed on the current political situation in Thailand for the past six months, where a coup was launched in May in opposition to then Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, effectively leaving Thailand under military rule since.

The delegation also informed the Vice President of its plans to hold direct elections in the future.

Aside from the Thai delegation, a delegation from the Netherlands was welcomed by Kalla to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.

He was expected to welcome several other foreign delegations on Tuesday. (dyl/nfo)(+++)

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