Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will visit the three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat on Thursday despite recent bomb blasts in the area, according to Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.
Mr Phumtham, also defence ministry, on Tuesday addressed two bomb incidents in tambon Ano Ru in Muang district in Pattani, which injured six paramilitary rangers on Monday morning and an explosion in Sri Sakhon district in Narathiwat, killing two police officers, on Tuesday.
"We discussed this southern unrest in the National Security Council meeting. Whenever we reduce the enforcement of emergency laws, incidents occur, seemingly aligned with the agenda of certain groups," said Mr Phumtham.
"Therefore, I believe we need to reassess the situation. I've instructed the council to review within a month whether the measures we've implemented have brought any improvement or setbacks," he said.
Mr Phumtham said the prime minister had scheduled a visit to the southern border provinces for Thursday and added that he would accompany her.
"Security measures are the duty of the relevant agencies, and they must guarantee everything is handled properly," he said.
This journey marks the premier's first visit to the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.
In this visit, Ms Paetongtarn has planned to attend a meeting to expedite and monitor progress on development projects in the southern border provinces, such as the construction of a parallel bridge over the Kolok River in Sungai Kolok district and the Hat Yai-Sungai Kolok double-track railway project.
This comes as an award-winning police officer who ran a remote school for children in Narathiwat was killed with his son when their pickup truck was hit by a road bomb on Tuesday morning. Pol Lt Col Suwit Chuaythewarit, 56, and his son Pol Snr Sgt Maj Dome Chuaythewarit, 35, were killed by the bomb in tambon Sri Banphot of Sri Sakhon district at 9.50am.
Pol Lt Col Suwit was the principal of Tua Ngo Border Patrol Police School in tambon Sri Banphot. The primary school serves about 120 pupils who are not Thai-language native speakers.
He was a Muslim and a native of the southern province of Phatthalung. He and his son were among 13 teachers at the border patrol police school.
Pol Lt Col Suwit received the Princess Maha Chakri Award 10 years ago for his excellent contribution to education and the development of his students' lives. His school focuses on teaching morality and sufficiency in life to local students.
During his childhood, he studied at another border patrol police school in his native province of Phatthalung, inspiring him to become a border patrol police teacher.
Pol Lt Col Suwit Chuaythewarit
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Dome Chuaythewarit
