17 Ministries To Be Grouped In 'Pentagon 2' Plan For Thai South

[webfact]

17 ministries to be grouped in 'Pentagon II' plan for South

PAREZ LOHASANT,

PIYANART SRIVALO

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A special Cabinet meeting aimed at coping with a spike in insurgency violence in the South will be held today, bringing together officials from 17 ministries that will be grouped under the new "Pentagon II" command centre.

Government spokesman Sansanee Nakapong, quoting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, said the government's and security authorities' strategies in the South had been "right on track" but integration between relevant agencies was needed. Pentagon II aims to make |coordination and integration easier.

Yingluck later refused to comment on proposals by former Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) chief General Pallop Pinmanee to carry out drastic suppression on insurgents. She said only that the situation in the deep South was a sensitive issue and the |government would handle it under policies devised by the Pentagon II centre.

She said the government was willing to cooperate with any party, even the opposition Democrat Party, for which the South is traditionally a political stronghold.

"Today's meeting will discuss operational plans in detail to define new roles of each of the 17 ministries involved in the integration, while morale-boosting plans for local residents will also be conducted further," she added.

Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha, who is in charge of Pentagon II military tactics and operations, said imposition of curfews would not be |discussed in today's meeting because they could be put into effect immediately under orders from the Fourth Army Area |without Cabinet approval.

Yuthasak, Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat and Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha will visit the South on Friday.

The Pentagon II command centre will be located in the ISOC compound near Government House.

Yuthasak confirmed Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung's |statement on Monday that there were 40 insurgents interested in surrendering to authorities, but the number cited by Yuthasak was 50.

Meanwhile, a Songkhla-based think tank warned of more violence toward the end of Ramadan, saying that it would be the most violent in the past eight years.

Asst Prof Srisomphob Jitphiromsri, director of the Centre for Conflict Studies and Cultural Diversity (CSCD), said insurgent attacks were larger and more frequent this year, resulting in 20 deaths and injuries to 40 people.

He said the recent attacks were an indication that insurgents had distorted Islamic teachings by intensifying the level of violence during Ramadan. He did not elaborate.

Srisomphob warned of further increased violence and more frequent attacks in the final 10 days of Ramadan, from Friday until August 19, which is was regarded as the holiest period.

In Pattani's Yarang district yesterday, three soldiers were wounded when a roadside bomb went off as their transport truck passed. Six other soldiers complained of discomfort in the chest but had no visible wounds.

The 15-kilogram explosive device was stuck in a fire extinguisher and buried in the road. It was detonated through wiring connected to a battery by insurgents hiding 300 metres away. There was no |gunfight after and the wounded soldiers were safely transported to hospitals.

In Yala, a suspect in Monday's |motorcycle-bomb attack at an Islamic Bank branch in Raman district has been identified as Sofwan Samah.

The man who rode the explosives-packed motorcycle and detonated the bomb was seen in security camera footage. He is about 170 centimetres tall. Six |soldiers were slightly wounded in the blast, police said.

The bank reopens today, after closing yesterday for one day.

-- The Nation 2012-08-08

[noitom]

I wasn't aware that Thailand had a "pentagon I." Does anyone know of such an operation? Someone at The Nation, should inform the Thai government officals thrashing around with this proposal for a "pentagon II" that the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense is so named beacuse the building has five sides. Aparently, in thrashing around for schemes to resolve the conflict in south Thailand, the Thai government has haphazardly utilized this pentagon nomenclature. The use of this terminology for a Thai scheme for the south certainly gives rise to questioning the Thai government's intention of resolving the conflict peacefully or by military force.

[BuckarooBanzai]

The use of this terminology for a Thai scheme for the south certainly gives rise to questioning the Thai government's intention of resolving the conflict peacefully or by military force.

Sadly, I think it is very difficult to stop an active and committed insurgency by peaceful means. There are sites on the web which show graphically (sickeningly graphically) what is happening to people in the South. What one sees does not lead to peace.

[Thai at Heart]

17 ministries, sitting in Bangkok trying to solve a problem 1000 km away.

Why do I think the odds of something tangible and effective coming out of this are pretty slim.

[Boss]

Never really understood what this confict is about.. Anyone here ?

!7 ministries...... Sounds like too many cooks .. to me. SEND RAMBO... He can do it.

[Nickymaster]

Our government sets the example that you can just copy names. Pentagon II, what a joke name.

[rubl]

An article from 2011-10-21 already seems to indicate that it's not the PM's fault that we now have a new 'new approach'

"Impediments to Yingluck's New Approach for Southern Thailand

... skip to the very end ...

Although it is too early to expect positive results, it will be interesting to see how Yingluck proceeds in implementing reforms in this seemingly intractable war with continuous opposition and interference from the military and without any representatives of her party in these provinces."

http://www.ipcs.org/...iland-3477.html

[SouthernMan3]

"Government spokesman Sansanee Nakapong, quoting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, said the government's and security authorities' strategies in the South had been "right on track"

Now there's a load of crap just to start with.

"the opposition Democrat Party, for which the South is traditionally a political stronghold."

I beg your pardon......

"The man who rode the explosives-packed motorcycle and detonated the bomb was seen in security camera footage. He is about 170 centimeters tall"

And wearing a yellow shirt no doubt.

​On another more positive note.

​Yes, please government, army, police, local leaders down there, do what ever you can to stop this senseless madness.

Talk to your people.

Good luck (and I mean this in a literal sense !).

[SouthernMan3]

An article from 2011-10-21 already seems to indicate that it's not the PM's fault that we now have a new 'new approach'

"Impediments to Yingluck's New Approach for Southern Thailand

... skip to the very end ...

Although it is too early to expect positive results, it will be interesting to see how Yingluck proceeds in implementing reforms in this seemingly intractable war with continuous opposition and interference from the military and without any representatives of her party in these provinces."

http://www.ipcs.org/...iland-3477.html

Yea really.

Where are the red shirts (or whatever they are) now.

C'mon government.

Get on down there and help, please.......

[SouthernMan3]

An article from 2011-10-21 already seems to indicate that it's not the PM's fault that we now have a new 'new approach'

"Impediments to Yingluck's New Approach for Southern Thailand

... skip to the very end ...

Although it is too early to expect positive results, it will be interesting to see how Yingluck proceeds in implementing reforms in this seemingly intractable war with continuous opposition and interference from the military and without any representatives of her party in these provinces."

http://www.ipcs.org/...iland-3477.html

Yea really.

Where are the red shirts (or whatever they are) now.

C'mon government.

Get on down there and help, please.......

I hear ya.

Here's the whole quote even though you posted it already...

"Although it is too early to expect positive results, it will be interesting to see how Yingluck proceeds in implementing reforms in this seemingly intractable war with continuous opposition and interference from the military and without any representatives of her party in these provinces."

Again, no reason that some of 'her' people can not go down there and talk to folks.

She is the PM of Thailand after all.

And though it seems that many down there do not want it to be, it is after all Thailand.

Edited August 8, 2012 by SouthernMan3

[SouthernMan3]

I wasn't aware that Thailand had a "pentagon I." Does anyone know of such an operation? Someone at The Nation, should inform the Thai government officals thrashing around with this proposal for a "pentagon II" that the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense is so named beacuse the building has five sides. Aparently, in thrashing around for schemes to resolve the conflict in south Thailand, the Thai government has haphazardly utilized this pentagon nomenclature. The use of this terminology for a Thai scheme for the south certainly gives rise to questioning the Thai government's intention of resolving the conflict peacefully or by military force.

There is no Pentagon 1.

Obviously the idea here is to try to use the name to give the 'scheme' some power.

Is the name really that important anyway ?

Maybe it is.

A name with some power could help.

And anything that can help is good, no ?

[Credo]

If this is Pentagon II, then does it have 7 sides or 10 sides?

In all seriousness, they do need a coordinated effort, but it might be better if they had this place actually located in the South and if there was some real coordination with the local community. This plan is just way too Bangkok-centric.

[Bagwan]

Seems to me that the long standing Thai Government approach to the problematic South is the same as that of US Forces in Vietnam - and is also doomed to failure. Increasing the temperature and pressures on the peoples only raises the stakes and makes the resolution of problems more difficult I suggest that the approach that Templer took during the Malaysian troubles in the 50's would be a better option. Until the Thai forces are seen as friends, or at least not oppressive enemies, nothing will change. Accommodation to local desires and aspirations has to be satisfied before peace breaks out. Then the fanatics may be isolated and picked off - often with local support.

Alas. Maybe Thai loss of face would get in the way or an overweening excess of self worth and esteem.

[sunshine51]

Seems to me that the long standing Thai Government approach to the problematic South is the same as that of US Forces in Vietnam - and is also doomed to failure. Increasing the temperature and pressures on the peoples only raises the stakes and makes the resolution of problems more difficult I suggest that the approach that Templer took during the Malaysian troubles in the 50's would be a better option. Until the Thai forces are seen as friends, or at least not oppressive enemies, nothing will change. Accommodation to local desires and aspirations has to be satisfied before peace breaks out. Then the fanatics may be isolated and picked off - often with local support.

Alas. Maybe Thai loss of face would get in the way or an overweening excess of self worth and esteem.

Well stated Bagwan...Well Stated.

[Moruya]

Our government sets the example that you can just copy names. Pentagon II, what a joke name.

The government set aside 27 billion baht to have the facilities constructed last year. Unfortunately it was another victim of graft in what has been estimated at a staggering 40% leakage of funds.

The delivered premises have but 3 walls and will be named the Stolen Triangle

[PoodMaiDai]

Chalerm is on the case. Nothing to worry about.

[Moruya]

Chalerm is on the case. Nothing to worry about.

he has stated today that its the fault of the press and the Democrats.

He is rumoured to have been under the affluence of ear medication at the time