PATTANI, Dec 14 – Teachers in three insurgency troubled provinces in Thailand’s far South were satisfied to a certain extent after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra promised to fully provide them with welfare, risk and rehabilitation payments.
In a meeting with educators from the Federation of Teachers in Three Southern Provinces here on Thursday, the premier agreed to set up an ad hoc committee on security for teachers.
Federation Chairman Bunsom Thongsriprai said the teachers submitted a proposal on security measures for teachers which the prime minister accepted.
Pattani Governor Pramook Lamun said the prime minister vowed to lend her full support to achieve the people’s better quality of life and public order.
The prime minister also promised to improve the economic situation, particularly among female occupational groups, he said.
It was agreed that measures to tackle southern violence must be worked out on a province-by-province basis, he said, adding that military reinforcements will be needed in risk-prone areas while personnel from the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre and civic groups will monitor less-sensitive areas.
Defence volunteers will join in security protection for civilians and more closed-circuit television cameras will be installed to monitor teachers’ movements, the governor said.
Ms Yingluck made an inspection trip to Pattani yesterday and listened to concerns of educators from several southern provinces. The teachers demanded better security measures following the murder of several of their colleagues and local residents in the past few weeks.
The premier stayed overnight in the South after meeting the teachers and senior state officials.
