Thailand Revives Agency To Tackle Muslim Insurgency

[Jai Dee]

Lecturer of Thammasat believes the Prime Minister's public apology will heal the southern unrest

An instructor in the Faculty of Political Science of Thammasat University, Asst. Prof. Dr. Jaran Maluleem (จรัญ มะลูลีม), believes that Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont’s public apology to the southern people will be a crucial turning point in solving the unrest in the three southern border provinces of Thailand.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Jaran said the government’s action including the withdrawal of the Tak Bai case and the restoration of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) are considered very positive for the situations nowadays. The new structure of SBPAC will balance the power of all involved institutes as well as creating a more a more positive image of the government. As for the Tak Bai case, the government has to move forward in revealing the hidden truth behind the scene.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Jaran also mentioned about the Tanyong Limor case where 131 Thais immigrated to Malaysia and the Bajoh case. He said that more girls and women are standing up for their rights, but he still believes that the government officers are the instigators of the unrest. In order to solve these cases, the government must instil trust among the local people so that they can help the officials instead of creating more troubles in the South. Furthermore, the government must confirm that they really had a discussion with the insurgents.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 07 November 2006

[Jai Dee]

Interior Minister insists to apply peaceful means in the deep South

The Interior Minister, Mr. Aree Wong-araya, reiterated that he will use reconciliation to solve the southern unrest.

Mr. Aree confirmed that the withdrawal of military officers from Bannang Sata District of Yala Province was done peacefully and all involved agencies truly acknowledged the move. Besides, he considered that this withdrawal will help the local people, not the southern insurgents.

The Interior Minister is not worried about the withdrawal of military power because he believes that this action does not limit the control over the southern troublemakers since all officers are prompted at all time to serve the country.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 07 November 2006

[Jai Dee]

Update:

Cabinet has approved status of SBPAC

The Cabinet has acknowledged the status of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center, or the SBPAC. The status of the center is equivalent to that of state departments, and it is directly under the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Cabinet has endorsed the proposal of the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) for adjusting the 199 SBPAC positions, excluding the SBPAC director-general. As a result, the policy of the SBPAC is under the Office of the Prime Minister while its operation is under the 4th Region Internal Security Operations Command. The SBPAC director-general has an equal authority as the ministerial deputy permanent secretary. The priority of the center is to coordinate with related agencies in solving the southern unrest.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said the SBPAC will definitely encourage more participation from the public regardless of its accomplishment in the future. He has also assigned the OCSC to seek special motivational tools for the officials who are working in the deep South.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

Volunteers wanted

The government has asked the Civil Service Commission to devise a package with incentives to attract officials to take up posts in the newly reopened Southern Border Provinces Administration Command (SBPAC), Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday.

Only half of the 199 positions have been filled, he told reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting.

"The government's idea is to motivate officials who volunteer to work in those three southern provinces," Surayud said.

"The officials who go and work there have to face hardship and sacrifice and must have good intentions to solve the unrest," he told reporters.

The current government has re-instated the SBPAC as part of its plan to quell the ongoing violence in the Muslim-majority South.

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dissolved the centre about a year after he came into power, arguing that it had outlived its usefulness. But the organisation has been credited with easing the upsurge in violence in the 1970s by providing a forum where local community, religious leaders and government officials could iron out their differences.

Source: The Naton - 27 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

Director of SBPAC affirms agency's readiness

The director of the Southern Border Province Administrative Center has affirmed the readiness of his agency in supervising conditions in the southern border provinces.

The director of the Southern Border Province Administrative Center, Mr. Pranai Suwanarat (พระนาย สุวรรณรัฐ), said he has prepared his agency for full duties following the Cabinet's decision to re-establish the SBPAC. Mr. Pranai said that he had received the full cooperation of relevant parties due to their concern for the condition in the southern border provinces. The director reported that the SBPAC would start formal duties on January 1 2007, and would handle justice, educational development, internal security, and the quality of life of local residents.

Mr. Pranai added that he had so far staffed the Southern Border Province Administrative Center with 80 able-bodied personnel out of the 199 proposed by the Cabinet, while more personnel are applying for work in the agency. The director affirmed that work was progressing smoothly.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

Su-ngai Kolok district chief is optimistic of the SBPAC

Su-ngai Kolok district chief Surin Phetsang stated that the security measures in the areas of this district are capable since all sides have been cooperating well with the authority. He said every problem in the deep South can be solved through integration, but most importantly, public members have to help monitor the situation and oversee of their areas. They should provide information as well as suggestions to the authority so the problems would be solved more successfully.

Mr. Surin said the establishment of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) on January 1st next year will play important roles in justice, educational development, and improvement of living conditions.

The SBPAC will help suppress the southern unrest as well as coordinating with police and army units.

He believes the center will greatly ease the regional problems.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 December 2006

[Jai Dee]

SBPAC to prevent disunity in the South

The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) is seeking ways to prevent disunity among the local people in the deep South.

SBPAC director Pranai Suwannarat together with Prince of Songkhla University and the Thai Press Association hosted a public seminar to gather ideas to prevent disunity from happening and promote people to revise the present situation. Participants will also help find ways to promote reconciliation and protect themselves from being suspicious of one another as well as people from other regions. The objective of this seminar was to strengthen the relations between the local southerners so they would not be deterred from the regional violence.

Mr. Pranai said the SBPAC will like a place where the local people from all sides can openly share their ideas and troubles, make friends, develop better understandings, and help solve various issues. He said the center will help the deep South finds more effective solutions where all parties would be satisfied.

Mr. Pranai said the amount of time to solve the southern unrest could not be clearly determined at the moment, but he believed that cooperation from all sides would definitely improve the situation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

M.R Pridiyathorn to request rewarding authorities in the restive south, for their hard work

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakul (์ปรีดิยาธร เทวกุล), will request the Cabinet to roll out a plan to reward authorities who have showed outstanding performances in the Restive South. M.R. Pridiyathorn further added that the recent bomb blasts will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting.

M.R. Pridiyathorn will also propose for a revision on plans for managing public land, while Education Ministry will propose ministry’s drafted rules concerning educational decentralization.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will present names of NLA standing committee.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

SBPAC deploys more security officials to safeguard teachers

Director of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC), Pranai Suwanarat (พระนาย สุวรรณรัฐ) reveals that SBPAC has deployed more security officials to safeguard teachers during these two months before the second term ends on March 10. More than 90 percent of the schools in the Deep South will resume today after they had been closed due to insurgent attacks.

Some schools might stay closed if their executives views that the situation is still unsafe.

The director adds that cooperation from local residents is necessary for the effectiveness of security measures.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 08 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

ISOC and SBPAC setting security plans for teachers and students in deep South

Interior Minister Aree Won-araya said the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) have the responsibility to determine the security measures for students and teachers during the first three days of schools’ resumption in the deep South.

Today (Jan 8) is the first day for the schools in the three southernmost provinces to reopen officially. The ISOC, the SBPAC and other involved units have laid out measures to provide total security for teachers and students. Mr. Aree said he could disclose the details of the measures at the moment, but indicated that the warning of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was made so officials and public members can be prepared for possible mishaps at all times. Earlier, Gen. Surayud warned people that violence may occur over the next couple of months.

Mr. Aree said the Interior Ministry has ordered all provincial governors and Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin to be prepared for possible violence at all times throughout this year, and not just during the first two months.

He said the investigation of the Bangkok bombings have not decelerated as many have assumed. He added that such case needs clear evidence, and therefore, it should not be expedited.

The Interior Minister also commented on the rumors that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra sent a New Year’s card to criticize the works of the current government and the Council for National Security. Mr. Aree said the sender should halt such action because the “game is over”.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 08 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

ISOC calls for women in Deep South to stop protesting

The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 warns women in the Deep South to halt their continuous protests as they are deemed illegal.

The Army Spokesman and Chief of SBPAC’s public relations department, Col.Akara Thiprot (อัคร ทิพย์โรจน์) said the women protests are arranged by insurgents to pressure officials. If officials use force to dissolve the protests, the insurgents will appeal to human rights organizations for sympathy.

Col.Akara calls for the woman protesters to use reconciliation means to negotiate with authorities instead of protesting.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 09 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

SBPAC will hold a meeting to clarify the strategy plan

Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) Director Pranai Suwannarat (พระนาย สุวรรณรัฐ) said the SBPAC will organize a meeting with private organizations and relevant government units in the five southern provinces of Thailand. The meeting will clarify the details of the special economic zone strategy, which has already been approved by the Cabinet on November 23rd, 2006.

The meeting will analyze the details of the strategy with the private agencies that receive direct benefits from it and the operation units for the optimal efficiency. Participants will include provincial governors and relevant officials in the five southern border provinces, Federation of Thai Industries, and the Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Pranai said the meeting will be an interactive discussion on the special economic zone. Issues on tax exemptions, trade insurance, investment loans with special interest rates and alien labours will be discussed.

The meeting is scheduled on January 16th , 2007 at CS Pattani Hotel during 10:00 – 14:00 hrs.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 12 January 2007