“Pattani City” plan gets some support

The idea of establishing an autonomous “Pattani City” in the lower South being pushed by by Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, chairman of the opposition Puea Thai Party, was welcomed by former Pattani senator Den Tohmeena.

 “I support the idea as I believe it could lead to a real change in Pattani province. This would show local people that there is a sincere desire to give them a bigger role in running their own affairs,” Mr Den said on Tuesday.

If the proposal was implemented and proved a success then it could be expanded to Yala and Narathiwat provinces, he said..

However, Democrat MP for Narathiwat Jeh-arming Tohtayong disagreed with the proposal, saying it would cause even more social division in the lower South.

“The establishment of Pattani City would be the starting point for a big mistake. The problem of southern unrest stems from injustices inflicted when Gen Chavalit was the prime minister [in 1997],” Mr Jeh-arming said.

Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam said the “Pattani City” proposal was just a political ploy to get Gen Chavalit's name in the news.

“It is not possible and it would not lead to an end of the violence in the three southernmost provinces as claimed,” Mr Thaworn said.

Gen Chavalit’s highly touted trip to the far South today was also just a show, a desperate bid to grab media attention by an old man who had faikled in politics, he added.

Mr Thaworn said he had ordered state authorities in the three border provinces to provide security for Gen Chavalit, as the government would be in trouble if anything happened to him.