Thai army chief visits far South

BANGKOK, February 20 (TNA) - Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha is visiting the violence-plagued Thai far South to inspect the situation and to follow up security operations of all parties concerned. Accompanied by General Yuthasak Sasiprapa, an adviser to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, General Prayuth, in his capacity as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), flew to Pattani Province on Wednesday morning. General Prayuth told reporters prior to his departure that Premier Yingluck, who is also the ISOC director, has assigned him and General Yuthasak, as well as Deputy Army Chief General Dapong Ratanasuwan and Army Chief of Staff General Udomdet Seetaboot to follow up the operations of all the concerned parties in the deep South, where the security situation has always changed. General Prayuth acknowledged that local authorities, thus, need to adjust their strategies and development projects to cope with the changing situation. The army commander-in-chief said he would also additionally explain government policies to local authorities, noting that the government has still based its southern solutions on the principles of “understand, access and develop” of the southernmost region as advised by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. According to the Thai army chief, the authorities concerned will keep sounding out locals’ opinions before launching any operation in the troubled Thai deep South. (TNA)