Songkhla ordered to beef up security measures as precaution

SONGKHLA, March 18 (TNA) - The Ministry of Interior has ordered Songkhla province to step up security measures as a precaution, as violent unrest in its neighbouring provinces in the insurgency-plagued southern border Thai region has continued. Thai Deputy Interior Minister Police Lieutenant General Chat Kuldilok made the instruction on Monday, when he visited Songkhla and held a meeting with Songkhla Governor Kritsada Boonrat and other authorities concerned. The situation in the troubled Thai deep South was also reviewed and discussed at the meeting. According to the Songkhla governor, unrest cases in his province have dropped since 2010, with 26 incidents recorded in Thepha, Saba Yoi, Chana, Hat Yai and Na Thawi districts from 2010 to present, compared with 253 cases during 2004-2008, thanks to his provincial policy on assigning local administrators and community leaders to help guard the province. The governor acknowledged, however, that four insurgency-prone districts in Songkhla have remained under a close watch of local security authorities, including Chana, Thepha, Na Thawi and Saba Yoi; while authorities in three other districts, including Muang, Hat Yai and Sadao, have also been ordered to remain on alert of any untoward incident. (TNA)