Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul departed for the southernmost provinces this morning, saying he wants to obtain first-hand, on-the-ground information to help him to resolve existing problems as quickly as possible.
This is his first visit to the region since taking office for a second term earlier this month and comes just hours after two attacks rocked Narathiwat’s Tak Bai and Su-ngai Kolok districts last night, although no one was injured.
An unknown number of perpetrators set fire to motorcycle tyres at three locations along a main road in Koh Sathon sub-district at about 8pm.
At around 10.30pm, another group of assailants set fire to backhoe excavators parked along the Kolok River in Su-ngai Kolok district.
Before boarding an aircraft at a military airport in Bangkok, the prime minister told reporters that he has long intended to visit the southern border provinces, but could not due to time constraints and multiple other pressing issues.
Regarding whether the visit would address recent controversy involving the Fourth Army Region commander, he said he will meet with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) and the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).
He expects to receive more first-hand information than has been available in Bangkok, including intelligence, development issues and budget allocation, in order to address the problems more effectively.
Anutin is scheduled to visit Yala to deliver policy directives on tackling drug problems and strengthening the grassroots economy at the SBPAC.
He will then visit ‘Ban Sriyala’ for a private meeting with Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, and to meet MPs from the Prachachart party for engagement with local communities.
After that, he will travel to Pattani and Narathiwat, visiting Sirindhorn Camp to chair a security meeting and follow up on key cases. He will then proceed to the Su-ngai Kolok customs checkpoint to observe Thai-Malaysian border trade.
