Thai government played a very crucial role to disband the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM). After 2 years of behind-the-scene negotiation, a peace agreement (Persetujuan Damai Hadyai) was signed in Hadyai in December 1989 at Lee Garden Hotel in Hadyai. The signatories were Chin Peng (CPM), Dato Wan Sidek and General Chavalit (Thailand's army chief at the time). Some members of CPM (around 1,100) settled in southern Thailand. They (and their children) have been granted Thai citizenship and given land to start their new lives in Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat provinces. Chin Peng died of cancer in Sep 2013 in Bangkok. General Chavalit (later became Thailand's Prime Minster) has provided financial support & looked after Chin Peng and his family. He paid Chin Peng a visit while the latter was hospitalized in a private hospital before his death. General Chavalit treated Chin Peng as his close friend and has high respect for him (as being flexible and a man of his word). The above write-up is summarized from what have been reported in Thailand's news channels.