BANGKOK, March 4 – The National Security Council (NSC) on Monday extended the emergency decree in Thailand’s insurgency-torn far South for three more months.
NSC secretary-general Lt-Gen Paradorn Pattanathabut said the council’s decision came as the special law enforced in the southern border region is due to expire March 19. He said the council will forward its resolution for cabinet consideration.
Gen Paradorn also disclosed that the council also accepted for consideration revoking the emergency decree in five districts as proposed by the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre.
The five districts are Pattani’s Kapho, Yala’s Betong and Kabang districts, as well as Narathiwat’s Sukhirin and Wang districts.
The council chief however said the decision on the matter is yet to be made pending a security review of the current situation and consultations with local residents. If the situation in the five districts improves, then the emergency decree could be replaced by the less-draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).
Regarding the agreement to start the peace talk process signed in Kuala Lumpur between the NSC and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant group last Thursday, the NSC chief said there will be progress in two weeks and a joint working committee will be set up to more the talks forward. (MCOT online news)
