Army chief follows up on Pattani bombing
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Army chief Gen Prayuth Chanocha is visiting southernmost provinces to follow up security operations following a car bombing yesterday at a health centre in Pattani.
Prayuth said local security personnel in the south needed to be more vigilant. During his visit on Friday, he intended to observe if there were any flaws in current operations.
The visit comes one day after a car bomb exploded in the provincial seat, which is under the jurisdiction of the governor and the police department, while the military is accountable for surrounding and remote areas. All parties need to support one another in carrying out security tasks, Gen Prayuth said.
“We have put into place all measures including surveillance, interception and searches but the other side can still launch an attack,” he said, indicating that more attention must be given to locating possible sites of future attacks.
The public also needs to cooperate with the authorities and should avoid travelling at night or passing isolated and risky routes.
He conceded he was worried about such incidents, no matter where they occur. Whether in the provincial seat or in remote areas, putting a stop to casualties and fatalities is important to the authorities at all levels, he said.
The car bombing at the Pattani public health centre Thursday morning killed one and injured 12 others.
Regarding yesterday’s National Security Council meeting, Gen Prayuth said the agency laid down an overall perspective for plans and security policies in the South. It also discussed labour problems in line with the government’s policies.
The four-year plan is the result of a 2011 policy revision, the army chief said. The action plan will be fine-tuned in terms of strategy and tactics in accordance with the current situation.
