CHON BURI, June 19 – The Cabinet on Tuesday approved further extension of the emergency decree in Thailand’s three southernmost border provinces for another three months, said Anusorn Eiamsa-ard, deputy government spokesman.
The emergency decree will be extended from June 20 to Sept 19 as proposed by the National Security Council (NSC) to facilitate the authorities operations in the insurgency-prone areas.
The Cabinet assigned the Internal Security Operations Command to collect detailed information in affected areas on the number of attacks, security issues, and official operations in the next three months to evaluate whether the implementation of the decree can be reviewed in any particular district.
Agencies concerned were instructed to accelerate processes to bring insurgent-related cases to court.
The NSC affirmed that enforcement of the decree does not result in any human rights violations as feared by human rights bodies.
Formally termed the Executive Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, the measure first took effect on July 19, 2005 in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala. It was renewed for three months on Oct 19 that year, and subsequently has been renewed every three months.
