SONGKHLA, 28 October 2013 Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Police General Pracha Promnok is pushing for the drawing up of an integrated development plan for the 5 southernmost provinces, to be submitted to the mobile cabinet meeting at the end of next month.
The Deputy Prime Minister has asked southern authorities including Secretary General of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, governors of the 5 southernmost provinces, and heads of related government units at their meeting on Sunday to jointly draw up a development direction as well as suggestions for the region. The meeting was called to evaluate the current situation in the South, and to allow those authorities to explain respective strategies and their suggestions to pressing issues at hands.
Several plans were raised to the meeting such as the establishment of ‘Khok Chako’ industrial zone for export, adjustment to the dual track railway between Su-ngai Kolok district of Narathiwat and Songklha’s Hat Yai, and the development of the Narathiwat Airport. The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged all the suggestions, promising to present all ideas to the Prime Minister and related ministers later on.
Police General Pracha assigned the 5 provincial governors to work together in solving the region’s ongoing problems and present the plans to the next mobile cabinet meeting scheduled at the end of November in Songkhla Province.
