PM:Government finds solution to violence in Thai Far South

BANGKOK, August 24 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that the Thai government has tried to restore peace and order in the violence-plagued Thai Far South in order to sustain normal life of local people. The prime minister told journalists that his government will speed up solving violent unrest in the Thai Deep South as soon as possible, as the southernmost Thai region is a potential area in the ASEAN Community (AC). The Thai premier admitted, however, that it is not easy to find solution to persistent problems in the troubled Thai Deep South, where insurgents have divided into two ideological groups. Nonetheless, the prime minister called on local people not to be panic and not to give any support to insurgents in the region. "The Thai government cannot hold talks with illegal groups in the country and had, thus, held meetings with relevant parties abroad instead, but I have not yet approved the terms of reference (TOR) for a new round of talks between the Thai government's representatives and those with different ideologies. An advisor to the prime minister, General Aksara Kerdpol, in his capacity as the head of the Thai government's negotiation team for peace restoration in the Thai Far South, told reporters on Wednesday briefly that his team is waiting for the prime minister's instruction on TOR or a new round of talks with relevant parties. Meanwhile, three bombing attacks were reported in Muang and Nong Chik areas of the southern border Pattani Province on late Tuesday night, one of which killed a victim and injured about 30 others, while a hotel and many shops in an affected area were closed due to heavy damage. (TNA)