The delegates met Lt-General Ruangsak Suwannaka, deputy director of the Fourth Region Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), yesterday as part of moves to strengthen ties with Thai-Muslims and Muslims communities in the Asean region. This marks the Sheikh’s third visit to the region.

Ruangsak said the objective of this visit was for them to meet Muslim spiritual leaders, Thai-Muslims and share the teachings of Islam, as well as inquire about the government’s policies in relation to the Muslim world.

On Monday, the group visited an ancient al-Quran Museum in Narathiwat’s Yi-ngo district before meeting Muslim leaders at the 300-year-old Masjid Wadi al-Husein in the province’s Bacho district.

On Tuesday the delivered sermons to Muslim students a Pondok school in Pattani’s Sai Buri and headed to Mayo district on the following day to speak to students in another Pondok school.

After meeting Ruangsak yesterday, the team were to meet Muslim leaders in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, while they are scheduled to interact with Muslim communities in Bangkok today before leaving for Indonesia.

Isoc’s Forward Command has provided support to the delegates during the trip in a move to promote good understanding and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and people of other religions, Ruangsak said.