Sharp fall in violence in the South

Colonel Pramoe Prom-in and other high-ranking officials of the command told a press conference that statistics from October to December, 2014 showed there were 185 incidents of violence in the southern border provinces – 32 in Yala, 62 in Pattani, 74 in Narathiwat, 17 in four districts of Songkhla. The number is 56 per cent lower than those that took place during the same period in 2013, which saw 241 incidents.
The number of casualties last year was also 49 per cent less than in 2013 with 83 killed and 97 injured compared with 138 killed and 218 injured in 2013.
Four insurgents were killed during the incidents, 77 were arrested and 15 guns seized. Security officials also raided three hiding places of insurgents where they assembled bombs, and confiscated more than 20 bombs, drugs and medical equipment and large supplies.
Security officials also arrested 2,773 drug suspects, seized 1.2 million methamphetamine tablets, 4 tonnes of Mitragyna speciosa leaves and other narcotics.
They also seized 37 guns, 246 bullets and other weapons, hundreds of illegal logs, 2,940 litres of smuggled benzene, 1,050 litres of diesels, 2.7 million litres of smuggled palm oil, 13 cartons of smuggled cigarettes, one car and five boats.
The number of insurgents, who mostly faced arrest warrants, joining “Bring People Home’’ project has reached 1,154. So far, 700 people have completed the programme and 454 people are still undergoing occupation training. The project offered to drop charges against suspects give them occupation training to start a new life.