ISA proposed to be enforced in Thai far South

BANGKOK, February 22 (TNA) - Security authorities has proposed that Section 21 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) be enforced in wider areas in the violence-plagued Thai far South to encourage insurgents to join a peace process and to reduce areas under the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations. Justice Minister Pracha Promnok told journalists of the proposal on Friday, after chairing a three-hour meeting with security authorities concerned, including representatives or the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the National Security Council (NSC) and the Central Institute of Forensic Science to discuss the administration of security cases in the Thai deep South, especially the imposition of Section 21 of the ISA. According to the justice minister, the participants resolved to propose to the government the expanded areas under Section 21 of the ISA and to reduce areas under the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations to encourage more surrender of insurgents, while recommending that other laws should also be exercised to facilitate development in other areas not covered by Section 21. The justice minister acknowledged that the ISOC has agreed with the reduction in areas under the executive decree and will determine areas to be handled with Section 21 of the ISA to be then proposed to the Cabinet for further consideration and decision before March 19, 2013, when the imposition of the executive decree is set to expire. (TNA)