Senior cabinet ministers should travel to the far South to see the situation for themselves, a senior Democrat Party MP said on Friday after most businesses in the region were intimidated into remaining closed for the day.

Deputy Democrat leader and MP for Songkhla Thaworn Senniam said more than 90% of stores in the southernmost region of the country were closed for business on Friday. They were intimidated by insurgent groups and rumours of violence if they opened on a Friday, the Muslim sabbath.

The Democrat southern MP said that even though Friday was a normal shopping day for locals, at least 90% of the shops were closed and most people opted to stay in their homes.  

He said this is a clear indication that the insurgents have been successful in disrupting the local economy,  despite the large number of  security officials deployed in commercial areas.

It was clear that the local people no longer have confidence in the government’s ability to ensure their safety, Thaworn added.

Mr Thaworn said the prime minister or her deputies should visit the area in order to lift local morale,  otherwise the situation there could deteriorate further.