DPM:Curfew remains unnecessary in Thai far South

BANGKOK, August 1 (TNA) - Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa, who supervises national security, has insisted that it remains unnecessary to impose a curfew in Thailand's insurgency-plagued far South for the time being, but the government will improve security operations in the southernmost region. General Yuthasak told journalists Wednesday although overall violence cases in the troubled Thai deep South have been falling, insurgents have tried to launch more attacks lately in response to the government's suppression to show off their power but it remains difficult to completely prevent their attacks because the southern Thai border region covered wide areas. The deputy prime minister acknowledged, however, that the government needs to improve working strategies for the Thai far South to be more unified by, among others, deploying representatives of 17 concerned ministries at local command centers in the southern border region so that they can discuss and work in the same direction and to also intensify security measures in the deep South. Meanwhile, Colonel Pramote Prom-in, deputy spokesman of the southern outpost of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), revealed that local security officers have operated around-the-clock checkpoints and watched recordings from surveillance cameras to identify suspects, after Tuesday evening's car bombing in Pattani Province. According to the deputy spokesman, local authorities have also maximized security measures in seven main business areas in the southern border region, namely Muang and Betong districts of Yala province, Muang district of Pattani province, as well as Muang, Tak Bai and Sungai Kolok districts of Narathiwat province and Hat Yai district of Songkhla province. (TNA)