NSC chief optimistic violence in Thai South will reduce during Ramadan

BANGKOK, June 23 (TNA) – Thailand’s National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Lt. Gen. Paradorn Pattanatabutr said he is optimistic that bloody violence in deep South would reduce during the fasting month of Ramadan. Despite on ongoing violence in the three southern provinces, Lt. Gen. Paradorn said peace talks with members of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant movement must continue. Presently, the government is awaiting a BRN plan on how and ways to reduce violence in the three provinces -- Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat -- and the plan should be submitted to security officials at least one week before the Ramadan starts, scheduled from July 9 to August 7, he said. Thai senior security officers, led by Lt. Gen. Paradorn, held the third round of peace talks with key members of BRN on June 13 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in which agreement was reached to reduce violence in the area during Ramadan. If violence continues, an investigation has to be conducted on which militant group is staging it, he said, adding that peace talks have to continue for the time being. However, Lt. Gen. Paradorn noted that insurgents would step up their attacks, particularly on government officials rather than the innocent people from now on until the start of Ramadan. (TNA)