Army drill in Lamphun frightens residents
Hundreds of soldiers patrolling the streets in Lamphun caused people to panic on Thursday until the Army clarified that it was a drill for new soldiers before sending them to the deep South.
The unusual military presence was shared on social media as people in Lamphun posted pictures of soldiers patrolling the streets and stationed in local temples and intersections, with many people expressing concern about the troop presence.
Colonel Phongmitr Pinpankong, commander of the Lamphun Peacekeeping Force, said the mobilisation was just a drill for new soldiers who would be sent to the deep South, with most of the soldiers came from Kawila Military Base in Chiang Mai.
Phongmitr said the training on an hypothetical security alert would conclude at the end of the month. Four companies participated with each company consisting of 164 soldiers.
He said the Army had already notified local authorities about the drill, adding that it had a secondary benefit of preventing criminals from committing crimes due to the military presence.
