Commander's Plan For The Restive Thai South

[webfact]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Commander's plan for the restive South

Arkom Chaiyasorn
The Nation

Sakol

BANGKOK: -- Lt Gen Sakol Cheuntrakul, the new 4th Area Commander who took up the post on April 1, talks to The Nation's Arkom Chaiyasorn about his work and plans to bring peace to the restive South.

Q : How will you carry on the work of your predecessor Lt-General Udomchai Thamsarorat?

A : I intend to ensure continuity as per the instructions of Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha. My predecessor Lt-General Udom did a good job in the 4th Army Region over the past two years. I have been working with Udom and will continue his endeavours, as this is what people in the three southernmost provinces want.

Q : What are your priorities?

A : My top priority is to implement policies set by the government and the Army chief. The Internal Security Operations Command and the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre have already mapped out the policies.

Q : Do you intend to close any loopholes?

A : I don't think there are any loopholes, though we do have the incomplete business of implementing working plans for 17 ministries and 66 agencies, which are supposed to begin at the village level. In this regard, the government has already set up a steering committee in charge of strategies and policies for the southern border provinces.

I am willing to help facilitate things so all government agencies can get their jobs done.

Q : How do you intend to rectify the weakness exploited by insurgents to fuel violence?

A : The BRN has initiated violent attacks against innocent people and the armed forces are responsible for deterrent measures. For the most part, deterrence works. Sometimes preventive work fails, and we have to work harder.

Work plans for safety measures coordinated by teachers and soldiers has been completed, but mistakes can always occur as long as the BRN is bent on attacking public figures and innocent people.

Q : How do you view the peace dialogue between the National Security Council and BRN?

A : It is a welcome development. In fact, local residents have voiced hope for a resumption of peace. They want to see an end to the violence and a stop to the attacks on innocent people and daily bombs.

Q : How will the 4th Army Region support the dialogue?

A : The NSC is the principal entity in the dialogue, while the 4th Army is ready to supply information and personnel as deemed necessary to advance the dialogue.

Q : Based on your work experience, do you intend to improve the intelligence work?

A : I have had experience in intelligence and my work will hinge on the performance of every intelligence unit. At present, people have been helping to supply information, which sheds new light on BRN's strategies and operations.

In the future, it is essential to hold public forums on how to stop hatred and racial divisiveness.

Q : Do you think your one-year term is enough to solve problems?

A : I may have only one year, but I'm continuing work that has been started three or four years ago. I am like a commanding officer in charge of implementing what my superior, the Army chief, has envisioned. I share hopes and aspirations of the people, and will heed their advice in order to ensure that problems are tackled in a speedy manner.

-- The Nation 2013-04-09

[simple1]

Unfortunately no chance "we do have the incomplete business of implementing working plans for 17 ministries and 66 agencies"

[chainarong]

The Commander may well end up very restive, if this present climate of attacks continue.

[bigbamboo]

Even the army does corporate speak here.

[arthurboy]

17 ministries and 66 agencies.

Wow.

[justathought]

the problem here is the Thai army itself. They are part of the problem and involved in all sorts of dirty tricks. It is a disastrous decision to put them in charge of peace talks. It is the same as saying let Blackwater mercenaries in Iraq take control of restoring peace in Iraq

[hellodolly]

The last part of the article pretty well sums it up

"Q : Do you think your one-year term is enough to solve problems?


A : I may have only one year, but I'm continuing work that has been
started three or four years ago. I am like a commanding officer in
charge of implementing what my superior, the Army chief, has envisioned.
I share hopes and aspirations of the people, and will heed their advice
in order to ensure that problems are tackled in a speedy manner."

In other words another year the same as the last three or four years.

[Phatcharanan]

the problem here is the Thai army itself. They are part of the problem and involved in all sorts of dirty tricks. It is a disastrous decision to put them in charge of peace talks. It is the same as saying let Blackwater mercenaries in Iraq take control of restoring peace in Iraq

How is it?

[worgeordie]

In my opinion,what the army needs is more intelligence people infiltrated into

the insurgents ranks,thats the only way you have any chance to beat them,

Not money spent on faux bomb detectors or useless flying blimps

regards Worgeordie

[55Jay]

He got through the interview without really saying anything. Oh well, guess it's better than the opposite alternative.

[chainarong]

In my opinion,what the army needs is more intelligence people infiltrated into

the insurgents ranks,that's the only way you have any chance to beat them,

Not money spent on faux bomb detectors or useless flying blimps

regards Wor Geordie

that's already been tried , with mixed results, the terrorists can see them a mile away, same as trying to infiltrate terrorist org in Indonesia, they have codes , signals, that's only known to a few, in other words, eventually they catch you out.

[DLock]

"I intend to ensure continuity as per the instructions of Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha. My predecessor Lt-General Udom did a good job in the 4th Army Region over the past two years."

Translation - "I will follow flawed orders and continue the failure of the last guy. I one have 1 year. How bad could I f%@k it up?"

[justathought]

In my opinion,what the army needs is more intelligence people infiltrated into

the insurgents ranks,that's the only way you have any chance to beat them,

Not money spent on faux bomb detectors or useless flying blimps

regards Wor Geordie

that's already been tried , with mixed results, the terrorists can see them a mile away, same as trying to infiltrate terrorist org in Indonesia, they have codes , signals, that's only known to a few, in other words, eventually they catch you out.

maybe they should just cut the crap out and treat people as people with justice. people become terrorists when you take their land and bomb them with impunity. surely we cannot all be as stupid as the leaders of the free world would like us to be.

Edited April 9, 2013 by justathought

[hellodolly]

In my opinion,what the army needs is more intelligence people infiltrated into

the insurgents ranks,that's the only way you have any chance to beat them,

Not money spent on faux bomb detectors or useless flying blimps

regards Wor Geordie

that's already been tried , with mixed results, the terrorists can see them a mile away, same as trying to infiltrate terrorist org in Indonesia, they have codes , signals, that's only known to a few, in other words, eventually they catch you out.

maybe they should just cut the crap out and treat people as people with justice. people become terrorists when you take their land and bomb them with impunity. surely we cannot all be as stupid as the leaders of the free world would like us to be.

I think your idea of how a terrorist should operate sounds good.

Now go sell it to them.

"surely we cannot all be as stupid as the leaders of the free world would like us to be."

Some are obviously not that smart.

[simple1]

In my opinion,what the army needs is more intelligence people infiltrated into

the insurgents ranks,that's the only way you have any chance to beat them,

Not money spent on faux bomb detectors or useless flying blimps

regards Wor Geordie

that's already been tried , with mixed results, the terrorists can see them a mile away, same as trying to infiltrate terrorist org in Indonesia, they have codes , signals, that's only known to a few, in other words, eventually they catch you out.

maybe they should just cut the crap out and treat people as people with justice. people become terrorists when you take their land and bomb them with impunity. surely we cannot all be as stupid as the leaders of the free world would like us to be.

The topic is the deep South, not some Arab country or Afghanistan. Also not Islamic extremists, but the younger Thai Malays (Juwae) are reported to be getting more radicalised

[FarangTalk]

I would like to ask him why the Army are still using the proven fake GT200 'bomb scanner' divining rod?