BANGKOK, 6th August 2019 (NNT) – The Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, is scheduled to visit the southern border province of Yala on Wednesday (Aug 7), as security agencies have stepped up surveillance in the area. The Secretary-General of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC), R.A. Somkiat Pholprayoon, has led members of the press to follow up on the progress of the government’s “Triangle of Stability, Prosperity, and Sustainability” project in the region.
R.A. Somkiat led members of the press to Manguwang Food Company Limited in Thepa district of Songkhla province. The company is a joint venture between Thailand and China. The company purchases durian from local farmers and processes the fruit before selling to China. Since last year, more than 1.5 billion baht was invested in the area, thanks to support from the “Triangle of Stability, Prosperity, and Sustainability” project. Moreover, the purple zone, designated for industrial activities, has expanded in the southern border provinces.
On Wednesday, the SBPAC will ask the Prime Minister to consider granting certificates to the agricultural sector and enhancing checkpoints to boost trade along the border.
The SBPAC Secretary-General said a few insurgent activities still occur in the region, as there are some 2,000 people with outdated ideologies. However, the overall situation has improved because many people in the younger generation and state officials have become more acquainted and participate in various activities together. Whether or not peace talks will resume, they will not affect the SBPAC’s work of creating an environment in which the people can discuss their ideas and solutions to their problems. Their proposals will then be forwarded to relevant agencies for consideration.
The Prime Minister will travel to Yala on Wednesday to meet civil servants and check on their work. Meanwhile, security officials have stepped up surveillance and set up checkpoints on major routes in Muang Yala district. The officials are monitoring the movements of suspicious individuals and inspecting vehicles for explosives and firearms to prevent insurgent activities in the area and to boost public confidence.
