NSC chief visits Thai far South

YALA, September 1 (TNA) - Thailand's National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Police General Wichean Potephosree is visiting the country's insurgency-plagued far South on Saturday to inspect the situation, following continual violent unrest in the southernmost region. Police General Wichean told journalists that he was assigned by Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to particularly follow-up progress on restoring peace and order in seven sensitive areas in the troubled Thai deep South, covering local economic residential zones, and on installing more surveillance cameras in those sensitive areas. The NSC chief's ongoing visit to the southern Thai border region came after suspected insurgents have stepped up bloody violence, including triggering a spate of over 100 unrest incidents alone on August 31 covering the burning of Thai flags and the raising of Malaysian national flags in many areas. Friday’s incidents came on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence from the British rule and the anniversary of the founding of the notorious Bersatu, an umbrella organisation involving in insurgency in the restive Thai deep South. The NSC chief acknowledged that relations between Thailand and neighbouring Malaysia have remained strong with authorities of both countries having promised to work together to solve the unrest in the Thai far South, and that state security forces have been able to control the overall situation and believe the unrest in the restive South should not spread to other economic areas. After arriving in Yala Provicne, the NSC chief held a meeting with local authorities concerned, during which he was briefed on latest developments in the troubled Thai deep South. (TNA)