Deputy PM asserts southern situation improving

The general situation in the deep south has improvedmainly because of talks and better understanding between officials and the local people, mostly Thai Muslims, and the development strategy  given by His Majesty the King.
He was speaking after chairing a meeting of the Committee to Mobilise Policy and Strategy to Solve Problems in the Southern Border Provinces.
Army chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr who is also deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) will be responsible for solving the unrest problem because he has followed the problems since the beginning.
Touching on the appointment of  a chief negotiator on the government side with representatives of insurgent groups, Gen Prawit said  army advisory chairman Gen Aksara Kerdpol is considered one of the most capable persons.
However, the National Security Council, ISOC and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre must discuss the selection of  the head of the negotiating team again, he said.
Peace negotiations were held between high-ranking Thai government officials during the ousted previous government and representatives of Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist movement in Malaysia, aimed at finding solutions to the bloody violence in deep southern provinces, mainly in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
Malaysian is acting as facilitator but the talks were suspended later due to political unrest in Thailand while critics said the peace talks were held with the “wrong” representatives of the separatist movement.