PATTANI, March 8 – Thai troops will continue their peace-keeping missions in the country’s southern border provinces despite an initial agreement to hold talks between the authorities and a Muslim insurgent group, the army chief said today. 

 

Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha is visiting Pattani today to get the latest update on peace-keeping operations in the region from army personnel based in the Muslim-majority southern border provinces. 

 

He insisted that military units will not be withdrawn from the South unless the trouble-plagued region is free from violence, adding that the government’s agreement for talks with a Muslim militant group is in the infancy stage of the peace process. 

 

“We are just taking the first step and talks have yet to start. The National Security Council will take the lead in collaborating with seven other agencies in the peace process,” he said.

 

The Fourth Army Region Command has been instructed to beef up their security missions to avoid incidents, he said.

 

Admitting that no measures could completely prevent violence, Gen Prayuth called on southern residents to keep an eye on insurgency activities and strictly follow the authorities’ advice on safety.

 

“The safety measures may be 90 per cent efficient if we set up checkpoints throughout the region but southern residents will definitely disagree with it. The best way is for them to cooperate with the authorities,” he said. (MCOT online news)