BANGKOK, 8 August 2012 – Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung has indicated that the southern unrest would be best resolved via negotiations with the insurgents.
The Deputy Prime Minister also denied the Democrat Party’s claim saying that the government was trying to change its approach to solving the insurgency issue. He explained that Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa still takes the main responsibility of tackling the southern problem, but the Ministry of Interior has recently been involved more in the solution to help smoothen the coordination between provincial authorities and military units as both sides are under different lines of command.
Police Captain Chalerm said that he would inform Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of the recent surrender of 40 insurgents. He said more of them were also expected to turn themselves in. He added that Secretary-General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board Police General Adul Sangsingkaew has been assigned to consider whether the conditions proposed by those wishing to surrender to the police, are acceptable or not.
