Thai PM to convene meeting to solve southern unrest

BANGKOK, July 24 (TNA) - The Thai government is changing its strategies to cope with insurgency in the Thai far South, as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered more safety zones and will convene a meeting of parties concerned to discuss solutions early next month. Thai Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapa told reporters before the Cabinet's weekly meeting Tuesday morning that concerned authorities had earlier expected insurgency attempts in the lead-up to the Ramadan fast month of Muslims, but had not anticipated an attack in a civilian and business district. General Yuthasak said that the government is, therefore, adjusting its strategies for the Thai deep South and Premier Yingluck has ordered more safety zones and enough surveillance cameras at important places in the troubled southern border region. General Yuthasak said that the prime minister is also scheduled to convene a meeting to discuss solutions for the Thai far South in early August, admitting that there were flaws in strategic plans although intelligence has improved. Meanwhile, local security authorities have identified those behind a car bombing in Sungai Kolok district of the southernmost Narathiwat province last week and are hunting for them; while Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha told journalists before leaving for Narathiwat that authorities concerned now plan to prevent bombings by trying to block the production and transportation of explosives, which will also help control sales of electronic parts, especially communication radios used to detonate bombs, but the army-commander-in chief conceded that solutions have remained difficult and required advanced technologies, as special laws cannot be exercised to their full extent. (TNA)