ID :
296214
Mon, 08/19/2013 - 10:15
Auther :

Army chief:Troops will not be withdrawn from Thai far South

BANGKOK, August 19 (TNA) - Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has insisted on keeping soldiers deployed in the violence-plagued Thai far South for the sake of public safety. General Prayuth told reporters of the Royal Thai Army's stance, before accompanying Deputy Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa for Monday's trip to Narathiwat province in the troubled Thai deep South to follow up security developments in the southernmost Thai region. In response to the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgent group's demand for Thai troops to be withdrawn from the southern border Thai region, General Prayuth made it clear that the BRN demand, one in five, is considered non-practical, as there is nothing to ensure the safety of local people. The army chief acknowledged a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Police General Pracha Promnok last Saturday resolved that the BRN's all five demands are beyond the authority and mandate of Thai security agencies. The army chief suggested that the National Security Council (NSC) hold meetings with other agencies concerned to specifically discuss the BRN's demands in details. According to the army chief, General Yuthasak and he would also look into the causes of violent incidents in the predominantly-Muslim Thai far South during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which ended recently, despite the BRN's announcement of a stop of its insurgency during the holy period. The army commander-in-chief noted that violence during Ramadan could be linked to security cases, personal conflicts or even local politics, and that local security officers have adopted defensive approaches within the legal framework and have not triggered any violence, but it has been difficult for them to prevent untoward incidents in such wide areas with loopholes. (TNA)

X