BANGKOK, Sept 17 – Tomorrow’s meeting between Thailand’s government and the opposition Democrat party to confer on ways to resolve the southern crisis will hear, among others, a proposal to accelerate insurgent defections, Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa said Monday.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and other top Democrats are scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra tomorrow at the premier’s invitation to join together to resolve the chronic problems and ongoing violence in Thailand’s far South especially in Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala provinces.
Gen Yuthasak said a proposal to neutralise redundant procedures concerning the insurgents’ surrender to the authorities and to assure the former anti-government militant that they will be treated fairly, and that their safety will be respected, in accord with the law.
The present procedures have deterred witnesses from testifying due to safety concerns, he said. He said that measures must be taken to enable defections so that hard core militants may be isolated.
The deputy premier said he has submitted to the prime minister’s secretary general a proposal for the establishment of yet another operation centre to solve the southern unrest.
He pointed out, however, that the centre is just one of the tools to support and accelerate the operations of state agencies already charged with resolving problems in the South.
