Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra addressed questions concerning the unrest in the Southern border provinces after her visit to Narathiwat. She also revealed a direction to handle and address the unrest in the Southern border provinces during Yingluck Government Meets the People programme broadcasted on Saturday 8th September, 2012.
Host: I would like to ask for the Prime Minister’s view on the unrest occurring in the Southern border provinces. What is the government’s standpoint?
The Prime Minister: Before going to the government’s policy, I would like to say that the unrest in the South is a long-time problem which needs solution and time. It also is a complicated problem. Therefore, understanding is required since there is no fixed direction. The government needs to visit the area according to HM the King’s initiative namely Understanding Mutual Respect and Development, and then carefully and gradually work on the problem. I, together with 2 Deputy Prime Ministers and representatives from 5 ministries, Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army as Deputy Director of Internal Security Operations Command, and Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, made our trip to Narathiwat. We aimed at meeting and encouraging local people residing in the Southern border provinces, meeting monks, religious leaders, Thai Buddhists and Thai Muslims. I personally had a chance to address the problem from civil society, and religious leaders in those areas; therefore, I understood what obstacles and courage those people were facing. In the end, we returned to discuss with concerned officials comprising the 4th Army Area as working on the frontline for the Internal Security Operations Command, Secretariat of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre, governors of 5 provinces, and all involved agencies.
Host: What did you gain from a briefing report conducted by local people?
The Prime Minister: Our objective of a briefing report is not only to listen to the report, but also acknowledge the problem. We are criticized of failing to address the true problem since we are not in the area. However, we focus on the Southern border provinces as a frontline center and people residing there are the ones who understand the problem the best. Therefore, we appoint those people namely Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre and Internal Security Operations Command as well as governors to discuss the problem while the government stands side by side to support. In overview, strategy remains the same as declared to the parliament. The practical way also remains the same, but we add unity and integration among ministries. We need a driving force to support the work of officials in the area.
Host: I do not think we have only the military, the police, or the community. However, we witness the Prime Minister’s attempt to invite involved agencies such as Ministry of Finance, Bureau of the Budget, Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board to work on the problem. Those agencies have never been involving with the unrest in the Southern border provinces before.
The Prime Minister: Indeed, I led Director of Bureau of the Budget and Secretary-General of Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board to visit the area. We work on security and development, the areas in which every official is trying the utmost. We would like to look into details what kind of help is needed. For example, some areas need equipment for rescue and property fixing. We also examined the readiness of those who work in the area and asked what kind of help they need. We support them in an integrated way. A conclusion can be divided into several points. First, concerning security, we examined a safety plan and readiness of equipment as well as security check points. Concerning security officials, we examined their needs and proposed the issue to Bureau of the Budget.
Host: Concerning a shortage of CCTV in some areas, how did you manage to provide new ones?
The Prime Minister: It is not purely about installing CCTV, but an integration of its location, responsible people, and connection to private companies or households. I already assigned agencies concerned to conduct a survey and examine readiness of an agency such as Ministry of Public Health’s ambulance, physicians, and nurses for rescuing people, and firefighting equipment in order to ensure that those equipment are ready to function.
Host: You emphasized on security of both people and property.
The Prime Minister: Exactly, we also include active measures such as how to update oneself with the news immediately, and how to reflect the work in each area so that officials can help people immediately. We encourage local people to help take care of their own areas, order the police to facilitate Internal Security Operations Command. Through people’s participation, they are comfortable in transporting in their own areas.
Host: What is your direction to boost understanding with local people?
The Prime Minister: The understanding both before and after the incident is important. It is crucial that people understand the governmental agencies’ safety measure. Actually, the South problem is about ways to make a compatible understanding, and encourage people to participate in building confidence. Confidence among investors, tourists, and foreigners contribute significantly to boosting confidence.
Host: What is your remedy process for the victim?
The Prime Minister: Ministry of Interior and Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre take responsible for remedy process. The government takes responsible for budget in terms of lives, bodies, and properties, and ensures that all mechanisms work. I had a chance to meet a number of people who had undergone remedy process, and I felt good. The remedy process is an ongoing process, not a short-term one. For example, a woman loses her husband resulting in her status as widow. We need to take care of her life, and career. Some people live in remote area where they find it difficult to travel; therefore, we need to examine how they can stay at home but make their livings and then they can be educated and enhance quality of lives in terms of sanitation. We can also promote education, sport, and music so as to enhance quality of lives among local people in the Southern border provinces.
Host: In other words, people residing in the areas where violence erupts do not live in fear, but enjoy decent quality of lives and be able to lead their normal lives. The government brings involved agencies to help boost quality of life.
The Prime Minister: The government pays attention to both security and development. We invited representatives from Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, Bureau of the Budget, and other agencies to discuss a long-term plan in enhancing economy in the Southern border provinces in terms of roads, and Logistics. There are several interesting tourist attractions in the Southern border provinces where tourists are free to travel to. However, they are not well publicized. It does not mean that every area in the Southern border provinces is in trouble; some areas are accessible, and safe.
Host: The community is economically enhanced. You invited tourists from other provinces to the South in order to point out that the South is not as violent as it is perceived.
The Prime Minister: Sure, case by case, we cooperate with security officials to ensure those visitors that they will be safe when travelling there.
Host: Talking about economic problem, people in some communities are concerned about their safety when commuting. How do you address the problem?
The Prime Minister: We need to study which routes are dangerous. We also need to take care of light, infrastructure, and roads. In some areas where a number of factories are located, we need to ensure workers’ safety whether they can commute to work or have safe shelters. Initially, I appointed governor, Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Army Area, and Internal Security Operations Command to work in details. After that, we can have a better understanding about the problem, and a clearer picture of which ministries are needed for supporting the problem solution.
Host: Therefore, local people are well taken care in terms of humanitarian issue such as quality of lives and property. How is law enforcement in the area?
The Prime Minister: There are agencies under Ministry of Justice taking care of the law enforcement. Justice and fairness are promoted. Moreover, the law enforcement must be gentle and following the rule of law as well as peaceful means. I reiterated that officials concerned need to take care of local people to the extent that they live in a fair and peaceful manner. I believe that if all of us encourage local people in the Southern border provinces who nowadays get quite a huge support, this courage or force definitely brings back peace to the society.
Host: This is the direction which the Prime Minister has promulgated and tried to adapt to each situation. As she mentioned earlier, the Southern border provinces problem cannot be addressed by a fixed direction since it is a long-term and complicated problem. Cooperation from every sector is needed so that local people can lead happier lives.
The Prime Minister: Exactly.