Narathiwat security units ready for Malaysian PM’s visit

NARATHIWAT, Dec 7 (TNA) – Narathiwat officials and security-related units on Monday met with Malaysian representatives to review security preparations in the restive southern province prior to the visit of Malaysian Premier Najib Razak on Wednesday.

Narathiwat officials and Malaysian consular representatives discussed security at city hall in preparation for the official visit of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his counterpart Najib Razak.

Police and military personnel conferred with provincial administrative officials Monday.

A 540-strong police contingent will be deployed at Narathiwat airport from where a helicopter takes off to travel to Ban Buketa bridge.

Additionally, combined police and military forces will be stationed at a village in Ban Rotunbatu, another location they are scheduled to visit.

This historic visit adds another milestone to the bilateral relations between Thailand and Malaysia for it is the first time that the prime minister of Malaysia is visiting the southern border province of Thailand.

In Narathiwat, the prime ministers will co-officiate in a renaming ceremony of the “Second Bridge across the Golok River” to “The Friendship Bridge,” linking Ban Buketa in Narathiwat province and Bukit Bunga in Malaysia’s Kelantan state.

They will visit the Att Arkiah Islamiah Institute as well as the sufficiency economy village project of Ban Rotunbatu.

Manager Paison Toryip of the Att Arkiah Islamiah institute in Narathiwat said that the institution is ready to welcome the two leaders.

The school will present its curriculum in which three languages — Thai, English and Arabic – are the main subjects. A number of students are continuing their studies at higher levels at famous institutions in Thailand or abroad, he said.

Security officials will inspect the school on Tuesday and police officers will be deployed to provide security at school, he added.

Meanwhile, one villager was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting attack at a tea shop in the nearby province of Pattani on Monday.

An unknown number of gunmen armed with automatic weapons fired on the shop from their pickup truck before fleeing. (TNA