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Thailand: New strategy needed to match rebels
Security authorities need an improved strategy if they are to keep pace with the tactics of militants in the far South, Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit said yesterday. After a high-level security meeting at Government House yesterday, Gen Chidchai, also the justice minister, admitted the insurgents had the superior strategy.``The number of incidents is declining, but violence continues. The tactics of militants keep changing. We must accept the fact that our tactics rarely change. ``We stand and defend our turf, which makes us fixed targets,'' he said. What was necessary in terms of security personnel and equipment had already been deployed to the region. The key to success rested with the quality of management, Gen Chidchai said. The military needed to reorganise and work as a team with police, he said. He said 700 more new police recruits had been deployed to the deep South, and existing local police would get extra training to boost their efficiency. Defence Minister Gen Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya said civil servants, police and soldiers would integrate their operations with clearer delegation of responsibilities. At present, their operational areas overlapped. Soldiers would enter and control highly volatile areas. Public relations efforts would target relatively peaceful zones. The Justice Ministry was setting up justice centres in the region to assist local people, while the Interior Ministry would train more local defence volunteers. To counter the use of mobile phones to detonate bombs, unregistered prepaid mobile phone cards would be disconnected in the deep South from Nov 15 onwards, Information and Communications Technology Minister Sora-at Klinprathum said. Disconnection was set to take effect nationwide on Dec 31 for unregistered mobile phones. Of the 21.5 million pre-paid mobile phone numbers nationwide, 10 million had been registered so far. Mr Sora-at said Thai phone operators would be asked to cooperate with their Malaysian counterparts, as Malaysian mobile phone signals also cover parts of the deep South. Meanwhile, a mobile phone-detonated bomb believed to weigh five kilogrammes exploded in Narathiwat yesterday morning, narrowly missing a group of 15 teachers and eight escorting police riding motorcycles to Ban Ruamjai and Ban Lubo Lasoh schools in Sukhirin district. The bomb, hidden in a roadside ditch on Sukhirin-Dusongyo road in Ban Aibuena, exploded about 8.15am. The teachers and their escort had just passed by when it went off. There were no injuries. Posted by: DanNY 2005-10-11 |
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