Emergency decree in Thai far South extended

CHONBURI, THAILAND, June 19 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet resolved Tuesday to extend the imposition of the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations in the country's insurgency-plagued southern border region for three more months, from June 20-September 19, 2012. Deputy Government Spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard told a press conference that the Thai Cabinet's decision, made at its mobile meeting in the eastern resort Chonburi province, was in response to the National Security Council (NSC)'s proposal, and that the Cabinet had also assigned the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to report security operations and developments in the Thai far South over the past three months in order that the Cabinet could later review the necessity of the emergency decree in some specific areas where violence has eased. Anusorn acknowledged that the Cabinet also urged concerned parties to quickly bring lawsuits related to security incidents in the troubled Thai far South to court, and that the NSC secretary-general insisted that the imposition of the executive decree is legitimate and has not violated human rights in the deep South as some human rights organizations are worried. Newly-appointed Government Spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said that Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, meanwhile, extended birthday wishes and a bouquet on behalf of all Cabinet members to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose birthday falls on June 21, wishing the prime minister to be healthy and able to overcome obstacles and assuring that all ministers will continue giving her their support for the sake of the government’s effective services for the public. The Thai premier thanked the Cabinet members and government officials for extending their best wishes, saying she was greatly honored to receive the best wishes for her 45th birthday this year and encouraging all ministers to work at their best. (TNA)