BANGKOK, Sept 6 – Army Commander-in-Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha today described last week’s spread of Malaysian flags in across Thailand’s southernmost provinces as only a “symbolic movement” with the objective of involving the neighbouring country in Thailand’s internal problems.
He said Malaysia was upset by the incident and promised to seek our the “unscrupulous” persons who brought the flag to be inappropriately displayed on Thai soil.
Urging the Thai people not to panic, he said the issue should be solved internally. He said he didn’t know when it would end.
Regarding the Sept 18-19 visit by the president of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, Gen Prayuth said the southern unrest is a domestic problem which should not be aired internationally, including with the OIC.
“We are solving our own problems. We have repeatedly made it clear to other countries that we do not need their help,” he emphasised.
Asked about Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Narathiwat yesterday, the army chief said the premier wanted to see more effective preventive measures in the South.
“I proposed a speedy implementation of development plans for security at village and subdistrict levels. The plans include improving people’s health, building public utilities and transferring the responsibility of protecting teachers, Buddhist monks and temples to police and defence volunteers so that soldiers will concentrate on offensive missions,” he said.
