Government Ready to Listen to Local MPs on Southern Situation

(20/09/2012)

The Government is ready to listen to local MPs and residents on southern problems and their suggestions to cope with violence in the three southern border provinces. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on 18 September 2012 chaired a meeting with the Opposition, headed by Democrat Party leaders, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, to discuss the southern situation. Also joining the meeting were ministers and senior officials responsible for security matters and Democrat MPs from the South. Speaking after the meeting, Prime Minister Yingluck said that the Government had explained its policies and operations to deal with southern issues, while members of the Opposition expressed their concern and offered a set of suggestions. She said that both the Government and the Opposition shared similar view on efforts to improve local people’s living conditions. The Prime Minister stated that the Government allowed the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center to serve as the core organization to carry out development work in the South, while the National Security Council is responsible for security. Moreover, she had assigned the Commanding-General of the Fourth Army Area to work closely with local MPs in easing the southern conflict. Mr. Abhisit said that the Opposition supports the politics-leading-military approach in tackling the violence-plague deep South. However, he said, suitable persons should be used to handle these sensitive issues. He was afraid that the new Southern Border Provinces Operations Center, to be set up by the Government, would duplicate work of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center. Mr. Abhisit hoped that what the Opposition had discussed with the Government would lead to the improvement of operations to resolve the southern conflict. He said that the Opposition would continue its work to check the performance of the Government. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who also attended the meeting, said that the Government responded to several suggestions offered by the Opposition, especially on ways to create better understanding with local residents and on local education development. He said that the Government would also forge closer cooperation with Malaysia in easing the southern situation. He also said that information gained from the discussion with the Opposition and local MPs was helpful for the Government. Participants in the international seminar “Religion and Peace-building Process in ASEAN” paid a visit to the southern border provinces on September 19 to learn more about the southern situation and look into ways to help ease the conflict through religious dimension. Thailand stressed the need to bring an end to a cycle of violence in the South in order to create a condition for peace, development, harmony, and peaceful co-existence of all local residents.