BANGKOK, 24 Dec 2013 Colonel Banpod Poonpien, Spokesperson of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), revealed that the Army Commander in Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has instructed stepping up of security measures in the southern region as the New Year long holidays are just around the corner.
Colonel Banpod said that the move is needed as the ISOC has received several pieces of intelligence suspecting possible attacks during the period, particularly in such business districts as Su-ngai Kolok, Takbai, Muang Narathiwat, Betong, Muang Yala, Muang Pattani and Hat Yai.
General Prayuth thus emphasized security in those areas before, during and after the long holiday period. He also urged locals to help monitor the situation, encouraging them to report to officials any suspicious activity.
Officials are on alert on Sunday as police found and successfully defused a car bomb near a police station on the popular tourist island of Phuket.
