Special report: Road Construction Project to Facilitate the Travels of Southern Residents
NNT News

BANGKOK, 26 January 2016 (NNT)--The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 Forward is preparing to construct 37 roads in 37 districts, in the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla to facilitate the travel needs of local residents.

Deputy Spokesman of the ISOC Region 4 Forward, Colonel Yuttanam Petchmoang said that the road construction and improvement project for the 2016 fiscal year would be launched in February 2016, with a budget of about 1,056.7 million baht. Rubber will be used in the project, which will help ease the hardships of local people suffering as a result of falling rubber prices. The 37 roads cover a length of 148.14 kilometers. Army engineers from the four army area commands have been entrusted with completing the project.

The Commanding General of the Fourth Army Area Command, Lieutenant General Wiwat Pathompak, stated that local people in the South would be urged to participate in the road building project. For instance, they will be hired to work in the road construction units and will be encouraged to help maintain peace and ensure safety for the army engineers during the construction.

Lieutenant General Wiwat urged all operation units to work conscientiously in order to respond to the needs of local residents. He explained that road construction is part of the Government’s urgent policy to ease the southern situation and the hardships endured by the local people. Moreover, it is a way to stimulate the use of excess rubber produced in the country in road surfaces. Natural rubber is one of the major cash crops in southern border provinces. A total of 812.9 tons of latex will be bought from local people for use in the road project.

According to the ISOC Region 4 Forward, the southern situation in the first three months of the 2016 fiscal year, from October to December 2015, improved significantly. Violent incidents dropped by 60 percent during the period, when compared with incidents during the same period in the 2015 fiscal year.

Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/website_en/news/news_detail/WNPOL5901260010005

-- NNT 2016-01-26

All this government spending to avoid a protest by rubber farmers. Get ready for some heavy duty taxation to pay for all these projects. Someone's gotta pay, nothings free in Los.

Edited January 26, 201610 yr by tukkytuktuk

Thailand the hub of projects

So, the locals will be protecting the army? Will they be given weapons to do this, or just use sticks and stones? Cant the army protect itself?

One district One road

Can the Thai army, build a road better then a Road Construction Company. And do they have to carry both their M 16 and a shovel ?

Local people in the South "will be encouraged to help maintain peace and ensure safety for the army engineers during the construction."

And by doing so make themselves targets? The army can't itself ensure safety of its engineers? But maybe the Malay-Thai insurgents would be happy to fill that role. its not like insurgents wear a uniform or carry an insurgent ID card. Who would know?

Rubberized asphalt has some special construction requirements. Just saying...