PATTANI, April 29— Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday pledged to bring the peace to Thailand’s troubled southern region and instructed security-related agencies to work in a more integrated direction in tackling the problems.
While meeting with local religious leaders from the five southern border provinces and community leaders during Sunday’s trip to the southern province of Pattani, Ms Yingluck said that the visit was aimed at following up the situation in the region and delivering policies to resolve the ongoing disturbances.
The prime minister also affirmed to bring peace to the southern border provinces, adding that the government would step up security measures as well as support and give importance to all regions equally.
Meanwhile, the local religious leaders asked the premier to visit the far South continually and to not neglect southern border residents.
After being briefed about the ongoing situation in the violence-plagued provinces by local security agencies, Ms Yingluck said that the government needed cooperation from all relevant parties and local religious leaders.
To tackle regional unrest, the premier stressed that the government would follow the security-related strategy delivered to the Parliament which focused on understanding, access, and development, along with the sufficiency economy principles, as well as equality.
As there are 66 agencies under 17 ministries working on the southern violence, Ms Yingluck admitted that work of the agencies lacked coordination.
However, the premier pledged to urge concerned officials to work in a more integrated manner for unity in resolving the problems, adding that a strategic committee, supervised by deputy premier Gen Yuthasak Sasiprapa, would be set up to address the problems.
To ensure safety for residents in the restive southern provinces, more checkpoints would be set up, Ms Yingluck said, adding that the government would support if the budgets or security forces were not sufficient.
Regarding possible lifting of the emergency decree enforced in the three southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, a discussion was necessary regarding whether or not the decree should be revoked, the premier explained.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong was assigned to meet with the private sector on development of five southern border provinces to boost incomes.
In a related development, Narathiwat police on Sunday told a press briefing about an arrest of four Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) members allegedly involved in a failed car bomb attack in front of a telephone exchange office in Waeng district on March 19.
The four detainees were Ampan Wa-ngo, a 25-year-old suspect with an outstanding arrest warrant, Nasoree Ibbraheng, 31, Aduloh Samaair, 38, and Taofig E-la, 24. Meanwhile, Ahama Dolohmae, another suspect with an arrest warrant and a leading RKK member, was still at large.
On March 19 a group of assailants planted an explosive device in a gas cylinder which was built into a pickup truck and connected to a radio communication signal for detonation in an attempt to cause an explosion in front of the telephone exchange office on Waeng-Su-ngai Kolok road.
However, the attack failed as a bomb disposal unit successfully defused the bomb.
Apart from the arrest, the police seized a stolen pickup truck used in the attack, two motorcycles, one helmet, one gas cylinder, urea fertiliser and benzene gasoline. In addition, Mr Ampan will be sent to the Peace Protection Centre for further questioning, according to the police.
