BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung opened the door Friday (May 31st) to talking with what he called "other insurgent groups" in the Deep South provinces, should next month's meeting with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Co-ordinate (BRN-C) prove fruitless, The Nation reported.

Chalerm is the new head of the Thai delegation in the peace talks, replacing National Security Council (NSC) chief Paradorn Pattanathabut.

The third round of talks is scheduled for June 13th in Malaysia. If it ends in deadlock, Chalerm said he would consider seeking a meeting with Malaysia's interior minister to discuss further steps.

"It's known now that the BRN-C leadership does not have control over insurgents still active in areas where violence is widespread. The people who now want to talk to us show it (through heightened violence targeting senior government officials)," he said.