Fourth Army commander Piyawat Nakwanich slammed a Facebook post that claimed the surrender of a suspected separatist to security forces last week was stage-managed.
He was responding Monday to a post on the Patani Peace Facebook page that claimed the surrender of 38-year-old Ahama Tuere last Friday in Yala's Raman district was an elaborate publicity stunt.
According to the post, Mr Ahama is a member of the security forces who joined the 41st Ranger Task Force in 2007. The army denies the claim, insisting he is an insurgent suspect and offered to hand himself in.
Lt Gen Piyawat said the post was intended to discredit security authorities because the situation in the deep South was improving.
He said the insurgent movement is in a state of disarray following the death of insurgent leader Sapae-ing Baso and is suffering from a shortage of funds.
Sapae-ing, who led the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) Coordinate, died on Jan 10 in Malaysia's Terengganu State.
According to Lt Gen Piyawat, the movement does not have support from the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) and was also losing support and sympathy from locals. He insisted Mr Ahama is a suspected separatist who has had five arrest warrants out for him for various offences including murder and robbery since 2006.
He is also suspected of involvement in bomb attacks in Yala in December 2007. He said it was impossible for a suspected militant to be in the military.
According to news reports, Lt Gen Piyawat flew by helicopter to personally take Mr Ahama into custody after the suspect contacted him and offered to turn himself in.
Mr Ahama supposedly contacted the Fourth Army commander after the general gave out his phone number and announced he would pick up any separatists who called to turn themselves in.
The move was part of the Fourth Army Region's peace-building efforts. Authorities are encouraging insurgents in the three southernmost provinces to lay down their arms and join their "Bring People Home" initiative.
Lt Gen Piyawat said Mr Ahama called him on Friday morning and the pick-up was arranged for the afternoon. "His first words were 'is this the number of the Fourth Army commander'," he said.
He said Mr Ahama chose the pick-up location in Yala's Raman district and when authorities, who included Col Sitthisak Jenbanjong, commander of the 41st Ranger Task Force, arrived, the man came out to meet them.