Abhisit Visits The South Amid More Violence

Abhisit visits the South amid more violence

By The Nation on Sunday.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday went to Narathiwat to meet the Southern Border Provinces Development Strategy Committee and open a new road linking Yala and Narathiwat.

Accompanied by his deputy for security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban and National Police chief Pol General Wichien Pojphosri, Abhisit chaired the meeting with the Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla and Satun provincial governors and some 300 related officials at the Narathiwat City Hall at 10.30am.

The meeting was to follow up government projects, which were in line with the five main strategies: security and justice to promote people's confidence in state power; eradication of poverty and vocational promotion; Quality development of people; strengthening of the area's economy and cooperation with foreign countries; and the Deep South special development zone administration.

The meeting also discussed an urgent agenda on adjusting the security plan in the unrest-ridden region. Intelligence officials had reported that insurgents were aiming to carry out more violent attacks during the upcoming school term.

In the afternoon, Abhisit also presided over the opening of a new highway - Number 4066, or Talohalo - a 30-kilometre-long shortcut from Narathiwat to Yala, and also presented three houses to needy villagers in Rusoh district.

Abhisit also went to Wat Sampao Choei in Pattani's Panare district to attend the funeral of 94-year-old abbot Phra Silamongkol (Luangpor Thong) who died of old age on April 26.

The premier returned to Bangkok in the evening to record his final weekly TV and radio address, which was aired this morning, before he dissolves the House of Representatives this week.

While the prime minister and his team were in Narathiwat, suspected insurgents carried out two separate bomb attacks in Yala's Raman district, killing two paramilitary rangers and injuring nine others.

At 10.55am, suspected insurgents detonated a home-made bomb on the local road in Ban Khu Wor, when a six-wheel truck carrying four rangers was passing by, injuring the four men.

The second bomb exploded at 11.15am, two kilometres away from the first scene, when another seven-strong team of paramilitary rangers on a pickup truck was on its way to rescue the bomb victims.

Two rangers - identified as Sergeant First Class Ahmad Bahakiri, 49, and Corporal Veerasak Hirunpratheep, 30 - were killed.

Five others were injured at the second scene.

-- The Nation 2011-05-01