Government Measures Dealing With Southern Unrest Are Effective

[Jai Dee]

Acting PM says measures dealing with southern unrest are effective

The Acting Prime Minister, Pol. Gen. Chitchai Wannasathit, has reasserted that the measures in curbing the turmoil in the three southern border provinces of Thailand are effective, and the general public has cooperated well with the officials. He also believes that a number of insurgents have started to truly understand the situation and have repent themselves.

Pol. Gen. Chitchai said the measures being implemented in the South are increasingly effective, as more arrests have been made and more evidences have been found. He will visit three southern provinces today, to motivate the officials there. He said the officials have performed their best efforts to arrest the insurgent heads, while the locals are beginning to believe the people behind the unrest are insurgents, and not government officials. In addition, confessions made by the insurgents are being publicized to the general public.

The Acting Prime Minister said officials are hunting down key insurgent heads who are trying to flee from Thailand. He said the measures to solve the unrest must be sustained.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 April 2006

[jdinasia]

If this were the 1st of April!

[Thaising]

Effective measurement with almost daily killing and no sights in the end, all problems swept under the carpet.

Edited April 17, 2006 by Thaising

[Scott]

Insurgencies have a life of their own. There is very little that anyone can do to stop them--there are things that will make them worse, but few (if any) governments have been able to stop them. Usually over time--a long time--many years, they just sort of burn out if nothing is done to exacerbate or feed them.

[Jai Dee]

3-month extension of emergency decree will be discussed at Cabinet meeting

The Acting Prime Minister, Pol. Gen. Chitchai Wannasathit, will raise the issue concerning the 3-month extension of the emergency decree in the Deep South to the Cabinet meeting today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Chitchai, who is also taking care of the Prime Minister’s duties at the moment, visited the southern districts of Joh-ai-rong, Su-ngai Kolok, Banang Sata, and Yaring yesterday, as unrest situations occurred there frequently. He also checked the performances of the peacekeeping officials of all levels, so the districts would be developed and the villages would attain peace once again. Thus, many measures have to be implemented, particularly the ones dealing with the emergency decree and the locals’ psychological factor. Insurgents and misled youths have fled from the villages, and Pol. Gen. Chitchai has reiterated to the officials to create a mutual understanding with the parents.

He said the assessment on the emergency decree has been done, and the southern residents now have more confidence in the government’s performance.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 April 2006

[Jai Dee]

Cabinet approves the 3-month extension of the emergency decree in the Deep South

The cabinet has approved the implementation of emergency decree in the three southern border provinces which will be extended to 20th of July 2006.

Spokesman to the Prime Minister's Office, Dr. Surapong Suebwonglee (สุรพงษ์ สืบวงศ์ลี) revealed that the cabinet meeting today has approved the 3-month extension of the emergency decree in the three southern border provinces as proposed by the committee in charge of administrating emergency situation.

The committee has also concluded that the implantation of such decree has alleviated the unrest situation in the Deep South. He said many suspects, core leaders and the insurgents have been arrested. Currently local residents have better understanding and are now cooperating well with the authorities.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 18 April 2006

[britmaveric]

Well its been relatively quiet, perhaps it is working????

[Jai Dee]

Emergency decree extended

(TNA) – The Thai Cabinet today gave a green light to extend the kingdom's emergency decree by another three months, a government spokesman said.

Dr. Surapong Suebwonglee told a press conference after a Tuesday Cabinet meeting that the emergency decree affecting the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala would be extended by another three months starting from April 20.

He said the emergency decree, which allows the authorities to detain suspects for up to 30 days without charges, and search and arrest without warrants - led to the arrest and the detention of 454 insurgent leaders and their followers since August 2005.

More insurgent sympathisers have agreed to cooperate with the authorities, Dr. Surapong said.

Caretaker deputy prime minister Chidchai Vanasatidya said earlier that the duration of the implementation of the emergency decree in the south depended on the local situation.

More than a thousand people – including police, soldiers, teachers, and villagers - have been killed in more than two years of insurgent-related violence in the predominantly Muslim region.