Opposition to discuss solutions in Thai far South with government

BANGKOK, September 12 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has invited key opposition figures to discuss solutions to persistent violent unrest in the Thai far South and opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has promised to cooperate. Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung told journalists on Wednesday that the opposition leader and Democrat southern MPs have been invited for the discussion at Bangkok's Government House on September 18, to be chaired by the prime minister and also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa and representatives of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). Abhisit confirmed that he will bring MPs of his Democrat Party who represent southern border provinces to the discussion. The leader of the opposition Democrat Party, whose political stronghold is in the southern Thai region, also hailed the discussion as a good development, saying that the prime minister’s participation should ensure good cooperation between policymakers and policy implementers. Abhisit, who is a former Thai prime minister, said he will also ask the prime minister to revive an old administrative structure of the Thai deep South to prevent more problems. On Tuesday, some 100 insurgents surrendered to local security authorities in the violence-plagued southernmost Thai region, saying they want the end to insurgency in the country's southern border region and a peaceful life and reunion with their families.(TNA)