NARATHIWAT, Sept 5 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is visiting the violence-plagued province of Narathiwat, her first trip to the southern border province since she took office last year.
She met with governors of five southern border provinces at the provincial hall for about one hour.
The premier later met Army officers and was briefed on the overall situation by Fourth Army Region Commander Lt-Gen Udomchai Thammasarorach, who told her that local residents cooperate more with government officials and the number of insurgent attacks has dropped, compared to last year.
Ms Yingluck met local residents, students and entrepreneurs affected by the violence. She also met widows whose husbands were killed in the southern insurgency. Those who had received compensation from the government thanked her for the assistance.
The premier said she came to boost morale of local residents. She led ministers responsible for dealing with the southern problems to get first-hand experience on the real situation and to find effective measures to develop the region.
She met religious leaders and local leaders before returning to the capital.
