Military:Curfew is not necessary in Thai far South

BANGKOK, February 11 (TNA) - Senior military officers have agreed that there is no need for the government to impose any curfew in certain areas in the violence-plagued Thai deep South, at least for the time being. Lieutenant General Paradorn Pattanathabutr, Secretary-General of the National Security Council or NSC, told journalists that the agreement was echoed at an over two-hour meeting of a committee tasked with implementing strategies to solve violent unrest in the Thai deep South, chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Bangkok's Government House on Monday morning. Lieutenant General Paradorn said concerned military authorities affirmed at the meeting that troops stationed in the Thai far South can handle the situation without any need to enforce a curfew in certain areas. The NSC chief acknowledged, however, that there remained different opinions at the meeting and the prime minister then asked the committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung, to make a final decision at its next meeting on February 15 on whether any curfew should be imposed in certain areas in the southernmost Thai region. The NSC chief suggested that public opinions should also be sought on the issue, noting, nonetheless, that the prime minister could sign an order to impose any curfew in targeted areas in the southern border Thai region with immediate effect, without any legal requirement to first seek the Cabinet's approval but the Cabinet is to be officially informed of the move later. According to the NSC chief, a review of needed budget and equipment was also raised at the meeting to look into efficient operations of local security agencies concerned. (TNA)