Police, defence volunteers replace soldiers over Ramadan
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As part of a truce agreement with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), police and defence volunteers will replace soldiers in villages in the Muslimdominated southern border provinces during the holy month of Ramadan, which began today.
National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanathabutr said Wednesday that his group proposed the “rearrangement of troop” to the BRN on the weekend.
Paradorn, who heads the Thai delegation in the peace dialogue with the BRN , ruled out bowing to the BRN’s demand for Thailand to withdraw all security forces from the restive area.
“We will only reduce checks, laying siege, swooping and searching villages except in the case of emergency incidents,’’ he said.
“We will only reduce checks, laying siege, swooping and searching villages except in the case of emergency incidents,’’ he said.
He said that under the proposal, soldiers would be removed from villages and stationed in their local barracks but would be on standby to move in case of insurgency. Police and defence volunteers will replace soldiers in carrying out security work.
Paradon downplayed reports that the BRN had cancelled the truce agreement for Ramadan, saying that they only deferred the announcement and both sides had agreed that Malaysia would announce the truce agreement.
Responding to questions about opponents of the truce agreement erecting posters attacking the government, Paradorn admitted that insurgents were split over the peace deals.
