Military sets more checkpoints in Thai far South

BANGKOK, September 25 (TNA) - The military has set up more checkpoints in the violence-plagued Thai far South, but it will have no problem if the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations is lifted in the southernmost region. Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha told journalists on Monday that the increased checkpoints in the Thai deep South are aimed to prevent violent attacks. General Prayuth admitted that the measure will have some impacts on the life of local people, noting that there have been both proponents and opponents to the imposition of special security law in the southern border region and consequently the imposition has been limited. In response to the secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center's plan to reduce areas under the imposition of the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations, the Thai army commander-in-chief said that the plan would certainly affect the operations of security authorities, but he said the Royal Thai Army would not have any problem with the plan. The army chief suggested, however, that in the future any search could happen only if police successfully sought search warrants from the court. (TNA)