BANGKOK, 24 September 2012 – Five from ten suspects involved in a car bomb in Sai Buri district, Pattani province, have been arrested while authorities are mulling over the revocation of the Emergency Decree in some areas.
It is reported that security officers have made an arrest against five out of the ten suspects behind the recent car bomb attack in Pattani’s Sai Buri district on 21 September 2012. The authorities are now searching for another suspect who was seen wearing a hijab.
Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Yuthasak Sasiprapa said the Emergency Decree would remain in effect in the southern border provinces for three more months following recent unrest incidents. According to him, the Internal Security Operations Command and local security officers are assessing the situation and are ready to lift the Emergency Decree in certain areas where violent incidents no longer occur.
Meanwhile, Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha stated that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had instructed the authorities to step up security measures in all areas in the Deep South after the car bomb in Sai Buri. More checkpoints will be set up in risky areas.
Regarding the cancellation of the Emergency Decree, the army chief said related authorities must carefully pinpoint where the cancellation should be made. He noted that security officers might need more time to arrest the wrongdoers if the law was withdrawn entirely at once.
