Deputy PM visit southern provinces

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said he will visit the South Saturday to observe the progress of official operations and to boost the morale of the local people after a fresh series of attacks in the southernmost provinces —  particularly the shooting at Al-Furqan mosque in Narathiwat on Monday that left 11 worshippers dead.
 
The deputy premier in charge of security affairs said during the visit he would expect to get first hand information about the problems in the South and would re-emphasise to security personnel to step up security measures, especially to at risk groups, including teachers.
 
Mr. Suthep said the committee in charge of the southern development plan and cabinet ministers in charge of resolving the southern unrest, which met on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, evaluated the situation and believed that violence may flare up.
 
The security personnel, therefore, were instructed to intensified security measures to protect innocent local residents while the authorities would speed up their development plans in parallel, he said.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would clarify the situation to foreign countries to understand the kingdom’s stance on the southern provinces, he said, adding that the assistant to the foreign minister will head the Thai delegation to clarify Thailand’s stance at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). (TNA)