Army chief calls for peace and unity and south
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HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's visit to deep South is a strong indication that a considerable proportion of the southern provinces is peaceful and not subject to violence, Army Commander in Chief Gen Prayuth Chanocha said Thursday.
He said only 10-15 per cent of the southern area is plagued by unlawful activities, insurgency infiltration and disorder and violence. The three most affected provinces are Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.
Gen Prayuth said the princess has regularly visited the South without any fear. Her latest three-day trip to the region ended yesterday.
The army chief said fighting in the South has changed, with more insurgents adopting guerrilla warfare methods, making it harder for the authorities to implement suppression activities. He added that the situation has intensified and become more complicated since 2004.
Calling on the Thai people to end squabbling and factional divisions, Gen Prayuth said, “If we continue fighting among ourselves, we may encounter an undesirable situation one day. Please stop acting violently [against one another] and abide by the law if you don’t want the country to face a doomsday scenario.”
