Thai Fourth Army chief who ordered last week's anti-riot operations in the country's southern Narathiwat province was removed from the post and transferred out of the South to await the outcome of an inquiry into the accident.

Lt-Gen Pisarn Wattanawongkeeree, the Fourth Army Chief in charge of security in the South, was asked to resigned to show responsibility for the Oct. 25 bloodshed at Tak Bai police stationin Narathiwat, which claimed lives of 85 Muslim protestors, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported here on Wednesday.

He was transferred to an army headquarters in Bangkok pending reports of an investigation panel consists of scholars on Islam and other retired officials from police, legal and public health sectors.

Some 78 protestors died of suffocation last Monday after the army detained them at a riot scene in Narathiwat and crammed them onto crowded military trucks with other 1,300-odd people to head for neighboring Pattani province.

Including other seven people who died in previous clashes with the authorities, the riot resulted in a total deaths of 85 people.

The treatment of the protestors was wildly criticized by domestic civic groups and Muslim communities abroad.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday ordered setting up of an independent panel to investigate the riot. The result is expected to come out within 30 days.

Meanwhile, the Southern Boder Provinces Peace-Building Command (SBPPBC) which oversees security in the deep South has streamlinedthe security forces set up in the three southern provinces to increase operations efficiency.

The existing five task forces was dissolved while 12 new, smaller ones comprising military personnel, police and civilians were set up. The 12 new forces will be in charge of gathering intelligence reports, developing community relations and creating better understanding among other tasks.

Army commander-in-chief Gen Pravit Wongsuwan said he had ordered every unit to organize training courses to ensure their soldiers were ready to reinforce the South when needed.

Source: Xinhua