NARATHIWAT: Authorities will ramp up security surveillance and boost efforts to protect residents along the southern border as they continue to push for peace across the deep South.
Representatives of the government, led by Gen Pornsak Poolsawat, met senior officials from the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Fourth Region in Muang district on Thursday to brainstorm ways to improve security and usher in peace in the restive area. The meeting was also attended by the police.
Participants focused on finding solutions to the region’s security problems, as well as ways to enforce the law against separatist elements seeking to disrupt peace.
The priority, said Gen Poolsawat, is to make sure state officials can carry out their duties and ensure residents can go about their daily lives and business activities safely.
He said persistent security problems in the South had allowed illegal activities, such as the smuggling of contraband goods and weapons as well as drug trafficking, to flourish.
“Surveillance along the border will stepped up to close the escape routes used by those keen on stirring up violence,” he said.
“It’s important that state officials are protected from harm as they help ensure the safety of the region’s residents.”
Gen Poolsawat also said residents’ trust in authorities must be rebuilt. “Now is the time to turn words into action,” he said.
The Chor Por Pithak Puenti (Chor Por Area Protection) unit, which works closely with residents to keep an eye out for insurgents, was also discussed.
The unit works alongside a squad that patrols mountainous areas to search for insurgents’ hideouts.
Lt Gen Santi Sakultanak, director of the Fourth Region office of Isoc, said enforcement of laws against insurgents must be done in a fair manner to avoid causing further violence.
“Dialogue is key in resolving the unrest,” he said. “State officials must keep communication open, so they can reach out to leaders and communities and create an understanding about the security situation.”
Separatists have been active in the three border provinces — Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat — for decades but the conflict has intensified since 2004. Most of the districts in the three provinces remain under a state of emergency that was renewed again this week.
From 2004 to Jan 31 this year, a total of 7,344 deaths and 13,641 injuries have been linked to violent incidents in the three provinces, according to Deep South Watch.
Peace talks resumed last year after a long suspension because of the pandemic, and recently resulted in an agreement on a roadmap towards the development of a comprehensive peace plan.