Thai PM convenes security authorities to discuss continual violence in deep South

BANGKOK, May 9 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called a fresh meeting with security authorities concerned at Bangkok's Government House on Thursday morning, amid continual violent incidents in the Thai deep South. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung later told reporters that the meeting was briefed on three latest bombings in Pattani province hours earlier in the day. The first occurred in front of Diana Department Store at about 4:40am, causing broken glass panes of doors but no casualties reported. The second bomb exploded at about 6am in front of a Toyota showroom located about 50 meters away while investigators were examining the first bombing site. The third bomb went off near the Phumee Checkpoint in Yaring district at about 7:30am, causing no casualties. Chalerm said that the meeting also discussed justice facilitation and public relations, and that he will then convene the southern command center on Friday to discuss and assign several key issues, acknowledging that successful solutions to the troubled Thai far South require unity. Meanwhile, Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who participated in Thursday morning's meeting, told reporters during his visit to the Thai deep South, together with Advisor to the Prime Minister General Yutthasak Sasiprapa, on Wednesday that he still believes in existing strategies and plans to restore peace in the southernmost Thai region, suggesting local authorities to be patient and to only resort to peaceful means. The Thai army chief also expressed disagreement with a proposal for the government to terminate its peace process with insurgent groups, led by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgency movement, and to give arms to local villagers for their self-defence, cautioning that the proposed idea would benefit insurgent groups, as those who raised the proposal did not understand the southern woes. Navy Chief Admiral Surasak Rounroengrom, on the other hand, has ordered his subordinates to strictly implement security measures to protect teachers and students in the southernmost Thai region when the next school semester begins in mid-May. (TNA)