Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa will today lead a high-level delegation to the restive South and lay down policy for handling the recent upsurge in violence.
Gen Yutthasak's visit follows his appointment as head of the new southern command centre.
Gen Yutthasak's delegation includes Defence Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwanatat, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and Deputy National Police Chief Adul Saengsingkaew.
The deputy prime minister said yesterday he will also listen to what officials on the ground have to say about tackling violence. "There is a lot of work to do. I need to get to it," he said.
Meanwhile, the air force will deploy a twin-engined DA-42 to bolster the military's anti-insurgency operations.
Air force chief ACM Itthiporn Suppawong said the DA-42 aircraft is an advanced aircraft equipped with real-time cameras.
Its surveillance systems can operate day or night and it is suitable for reconnaissance over forests, he said.
ACM Itthiporn said an air force special task unit has begun supporting security operations with duties including troop and equipment transportation and aerial surveillance by AU-23 Peacemaker planes.He said the air force's main mission in the South is to protect Bo Thong airport in Pattani.
However, some of its troops have been trained to work with ground forces.
Further violence erupted yesterday, when a bomb exploded at a school in Sungai Padi district of Narathiwat province. It caused no casualties.
The 5kg device, stuffed in a milk container, was found by students at Kawa School, in tambon Kawa, under a marble table and chair set.
They alerted school director Somchit Thongchinda about the suspicious object.
He contacted the Border Patrol Police Company 447 bomb disposal team and evacuated the students.
While members of the team were moving closer to the object, militants hiding nearby detonated the bomb with a mobile phone. The explosion damaged the table set but caused no casualties.
Police suspected that soldiers of Rangers Company 4809 may have been the intended victims as they often use the table while providing security for the school's teachers and students.
The school was ordered closed for one day following the blast.
In Rue So district, a team of 60 police and troops yesterday raided five locations in two tambons and detained six men for questioning.
Officers seized a shotgun, three pistols, 52 rounds of ammunition and 75 bags of a narcotic brew known as "4x100".
They were taken to Rue So police station for questioning and the arms were sent for examination to determine if they had been used in insurgent attacks.