Centre set up to deal with south unrest
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The government yesterday set up a permanent operation centre, integrating 17 ministries under three deputy prime ministers, to deal with the unrest in the South.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shina-watra convened an urgent meeting with senior officials in charge of national security at 11.30am yesterday at Government House to discuss fears insurgent attacks are getting more frequent.
After the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha told reporters that Yingluck wanted to review the policy and see if anything can be improved. He said the meeting had concluded that the strategy was moving in the right direction, but it could be enhanced further for efficiency.
Yuthasak went on to say that he, along with fellow deputy prime ministers Chalerm Yoobamrung and Yongyuth Wichaidit, would be in charge and will coordinate with relevant agencies. The centre, which has yet to be named, will be situated at the Internal Security Operations Command and rely on its staff and officials from the 17 ministries and other state agencies.
The centre will initially be funded by the amount earmarked for projects in the three southernmost provinces, he said, adding that details about the centre, its work, strategy and the 2012-2013 budget would be provided at a workshop on August 8.
Meanwhile, intelligence sources said that up to 10 Songkhla-based insurgents had helped local insurgents launch an ambush in Pattani’s Ma-Yor district last Saturday, killing four soldiers. Three suspects have been apprehended for questioning so far.
The Songkhla-based operatives were reportedly newly trained and had carried out this attack as a drill, sources said. Pattani governor Theera Minthrasak said intelligence officials were verifying whether there were any insurgents from other parts of the country who might have played a hand in last Saturday’s attack.
Theera said that thanks to the security cameras installed by the Interior Ministry, clear images were captured of the attack being carried out. Hence, he said, he had ordered a survey of how many of such units were installed in the deep South and how many more were needed in hostile areas or at-risk localities. A large number of cameras with different specifications belong to or are operated by police, the military or local authorities.
Police said all or most of the attackers behind the attack were in Thailand and were being tracked down, adding that most of the likely suspects were Pattani locals and were lying low.
