BANGKOK – The concept of “Pracharat,” or “state of the people,” has been adopted to mobilize support for peacebuilding in the southern border provinces.
The concept was introduced by the Government to push forward policies from the bottom up. It encourages government agencies to work in close cooperation with other sectors. Spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), Region 4 Forward, Colonel Pramote Promin said that, starting from 1 February 2016, the concept will be translated into action to cover all 37 districts in the three southern province of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat and four districts of Songkhla. He explained that the concept of Pracharat calls on the public sector to work closely with local southern residents and “groups of people holding different views and ideologies to that of the state.” Their joint endeavors will focus on three major issues.
In the first issue, security forces, officials, and local people will join hands in ensuring safety in the target districts. Emphasis is placed on seven economic towns in order to create confidence about the southern situation. The second issue seeks to encourage the groups holding different views and ideologies to that of the state not to use violence. The Government will open opportunities for them to participate in solving local problems. In this regard, the project “Bring People Back Home” and peace dialogues will continue.
The third issue involves development work, which will be carried out in response to the needs of local people. The Government has prepared 80 development projects, which come from a survey of the demand of residents in the deep South. These projects are included in the seven-billion-baht southern development plan, which is being implemented in the 2016 fiscal year.
Following peacebuilding efforts under the concept of Pracharat, the ISOC Region 4 Forward plans to pass on the second stage of resolving southern problems to the third stage, which calls for lasting peace and sustainable development. It urged all sectors to help create better understanding of this concept among local residents in the deep South. On the part of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center, it is working with volunteer networks in supporting the Government’s policy of Pracharat. These networks comprise graduate, public health, community development, and labor volunteers.
A great number of volunteers in the southern border provinces are interested in participating in improving the southern situation. Many of them are engaged in development work relating to the people’s quality of life, such as education, culture, religious promotion, career development, and the creation of a peaceful multicultural society. These volunteers have contributed to southern development through the working style of “Smart Team.” They have joined hands with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center in a project, aimed at building “families of integrity and peace.”
The families that are recognized under this project must not be involved in drug abuse and trade. They must not use violence in solving problems. At the same time, they should also support volunteer work for social services. The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center is expanding the project in the three southern border provinces and four district of Songkhla. It believes that the project will help in peacebuilding efforts in the deep South through close cooperation between the public sector and volunteers, under the concept of Pracharat.
