BANGKOK, Oct 3 – Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha on Wednesday warned overseas-financed human rights groups against working in a fashion which is contradictory to the government’s security forces, actions which impede the authorities from performing their duties.
He called on the independent groups to thoroughly study the government’s nine-point strategy and to cooperate with state authorities in solving the perennial problems in Thailand’s deep South instead of acting in favour of financiers abroad.
Gen Prayuth accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa to the southern provinces of Narathiwat and Pattani to discuss with officials there the intensified security measures in the South particularly during this month.
Several politics-related and unfavourable historical incidents occurred in Thailand in October. Some jittery Thais label it jinxed October.
Concerning a threat of violence which has compelled shopkeepers and merchants in Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala to close their shops on Friday, Gen Prayuth said that such threats were not new but the latest one was enhanced by a planned car bombing in Saiburi district of Pattani and violent incidents in other areas. He said more checkpoints have been set up and stringent security measures enforced.
