Security tightened in Thailand’s deep South for Krue Se anniversary

SONGKHLA, April 28 (TNA) - Security in Thailand’s troubled southern provinces was beefed up on Sunday on the ninth anniversary of the Krue Se mosque incident in Pattani province in which 32 suspects inside the mosque were killed in the attack by government forces. In Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, police and defence volunteers set up checkpoints, especially in front of a Chinese shrine which leads to the business hub in the district. They searched suspected cars and travellers, and motorcycles which did not carry registration plate. A similar scene was also seen in five other provincial districts, including Muang district. Security officials were are alert round-the-clock in an attempt to prevent insurgents from creating unrest in the troubled region. As insurgent groups are scheduled to hold a second round of talks aimed at ending violence in the deep south which has continued more than nine years with senior Thai government officials in Malaysia on Monday, Ongart Klampaiboon, a list MP of the major opposition Democrat Party, opined that his party believed negotiations could end the violence but it must be acknowledged that the crux has continued for long time and it would naturally take time to find the solution. Mr. Ongart said the Democrat Party wanted the officials to uphold the country’s constitution in negotiating with insurgent groups, demands by insurgent groups must be first monitored by every concerned party and the ongoing peace talks should not be a tool for any group or any individual. (TNA)