Progress has been made over the past two years in developing the Southern Border Provinces and addressing the unrest situation there, resulting in the local confidence index improving to higher than 50.
Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over a meeting held to report the work results of the Southern Border Provinces Development Strategy Committee, as well as important projects that will be implemented in 2022. Southern Border Provinces Administration Center (SBPAC) secretary-general Somkiat Polprayoon said the strategy committee was an important mechanism in developing the southern border provinces over the past two years. The committee was able to successfully handle many problems in the area, such as unemployment due to COVID-19, land utilization, economic rehabilitation, and systemic management of electricity. It also succeeded in improving the capacities of Thai-Malaysia customs houses, driving sub-district level peace councils, resolving low farm yields, and addressing the spread of a new disease in rubber trees.
By 2022, the committee will work to eradicate poverty and sustainably promote human development, implement a ‘Livestock City’ project under the framework of the southern border provinces halal economic corridor, and further develop Betong City in Yala into a model city. For the latter purpose, a cross-border minimarathon will be held with Malaysia in May 2022.
Based on a survey conducted in Quarter 3 of this year, the confidence index for the economy, society, and security in the southern border provinces improved to 51.47. The SBPAC attributed the rise of the index to people’s increased confidence in all aspects of problem-solving and development efforts in the Deep South. (NNT)
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