Deputy PM calls for security offensive

BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) - Security affairs from now on must be based on offensive basis, especially intelligence gathering, while the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) must inform all the 19 government ministries how they could support it, said Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Yuthasak Sasiprapha on Wednesday. Gen. Yuthasak, who oversees security affairs, told journalists that intelligence gathering by security officials must from now on be based on offensive, fast and accurate. Security officials must also meet and discuss more often. He said more insurgency violence might occur during the upcoming Songkran festival, Thailand’s traditional New Year which falls between April 13-15, and the upcoming Organization of the Islamic Conference. His comments were made following car bombings staged by insurgents last Saturday at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel in the southern district of Hat Yai in which three persons including a Malaysian tourist were killed and more than 400 wounded while another 10 people died and 145 wounded in the nearby province of Yala. Gen. Yuthasak said he personally believed that insurgents would continue to stage fresh attacks in the four restive southern provinces of Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. Warrants for the arrest of some of the car bombers last week could now be issued and police believed there are still hiding in Thailand, he said. On opposition party members asking for a joint parliamentary session to debate on the ongoing violence in the deep South without casting a no-confidence vote, Gen. Yuthasak said he has no objection but the session must be held behind closed-door. (TNA)