Peace talks between the government and southern insurgent representatives have been postponed indefinitely following the deadly Narathiwat attack that killed five rangers.

Thanut Suvarnananda, director of the National Intelligence Agency and head of the dialogue team, said on Tuesday that negotiations had been progressing well before the July 22 attack derailed the process.

Technical-level discussions had been underway, and a meeting was scheduled for September, but the violence was too serious to overlook.

"We were already talking, then the violence occurred. We need an explanation first [before any talks resume]," Mr Thanut said, adding that the September meeting had been cancelled.

He said questions had been sent to the insurgent group, but no response had been received.

Thailand has also not formally contacted Malaysia following the attack. Mr Thanut said he had been informed that Malaysia was appointing a new peace facilitator, creating a temporary gap in coordination.

Thailand could still communicate through intermediaries and existing channels while awaiting Malaysia's next move and a response from the insurgent group, he said.

Mr Thanut dismissed concerns that a tougher security stance could derail future negotiations, saying security forces and the dialogue team had different roles but shared the same objective. Military operations would continue alongside efforts to achieve a peaceful solution.

He said authorities found aspects of the Narathiwat attack unusual but would not draw conclusions without evidence, noting similar attacks had occurred in the province before. He also rejected suggestions that security agencies focused on symbolic dates linked to insurgents, saying they remained vigilant year-round.

Mr Thanut said the prime minister had consistently backed dialogue as a long-term solution to the southern conflict. Although he had only recently assumed the role of chief negotiator, he remained confident the process could continue despite current tensions. Earlier, political adviser to the prime minister Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said the attack would make negotiations more difficult because different groups held differing views on the peace process.

While some supported talks and others opposed them, he stressed that dialogue remained a key government policy and must proceed alongside law enforcement to prevent further escalation.