Thaksin Warns Of More Violence In The South

[george]

Thai PM warns of more violence

BANGKOK: -- Thai soldiers on their motorcycles patrol the street in Narathiwat province

Security has been stepped up across the south.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has warned that violence in the country's south could get worse.

Mr Thaksin said suspected Muslim separatists wanted to provoke the government into over-reacting.

"I am convinced that the violence will be intensified... since the militants want to tempt the government to get angry," he said.

More than 400 people have been killed so far this year, with security forces blamed for almost half of the deaths.

Mr Thaksin was speaking after another member of the security forces - a Muslim serving in the Thai navy - was shot dead on Friday while he guarded a Buddhist temple in the southern province of Narathiwat.

TROUBLED SOUTH

Home to most of Thailand's 4% Muslim minority

Muslim rebels fought the government up to the mid-80s

Suspected militants have upped attacks this year, targeting Buddhists

Security forces' response criticised by rights groups

Thailand's restive south

In pictures: Daily life

Mr Thaksin, who has been strongly criticised for his handling of the violence in the south, said the militants wanted to use the latest attacks to generate attention overseas and win new recruits.

"They want to stir our anger, prompt us to use brute force and spread the news. Then their sympathisers overseas will throw in their support," he said.

Buddhist fears

The security situation in southern Thailand has been deteriorating since the start of this year.

But violence has intensified since 85 Muslims were killed when a protest turned violent last month. Many of the dead suffocated while in police custody.

At least 10 people have been killed in apparent reprisal attacks for their deaths, which followed a protest outside a police station in Takbai, Narathiwat province.

Warnings that insurgents may try to target Buddhist teachers and students have prompted many schools throughout the south to close until Monday at the earliest.

An independent panel has been set up to investigate the Takbai deaths, but the inquiry has done little to calm fears among Buddhists living in the south.

A militant group called the Pattani United Liberation Organization (Pulo) posted a warning message on its website last week urging Buddhist citizens to leave the Muslim-dominated southern areas, and also threatening terrorist attacks in Bangkok.

The south of Thailand is home to most of the country's Muslim minority, which has long complained of discrimination by the authorities in Bangkok.

--TNA 2004-11-05