Thai gov't to lift emergency decree in southernmost province of Pattani

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said the cabinet is considering revoking the Emergency Decree in Maelan district of southernmost Pattani province.

Abhisit spoke after an hour meeting with Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, National Security Council Secretary-General Thawil Pliensri, National Intelligence Agency Director Suwaphan Tanyuwatthana and Justice Ministry permanent-secretary Kittipong Kittayarak at Government House early Thursday morning.

He said there has been no violence in Pattani's Maelan district for a long time. The decree could be replaced in the district with the Internal Security Act (ISA) before the New Year.

"This could be a pilot scheme for revocation of the Emergency Decree in other three southernmost provinces," the prime minister said.

The Emergency Decree could be lifted immediately without waiting for it to expire after three months since the latest renewal on Oct. 19. ISA would be imposed in four districts of Songkhla province. Measure in ISA's Section 21 would be applied as well, according to the prime minister.

Section 21 allows the security-related officers, with the consent of a court, to drop criminal charges against an alleged offender in a security-related case, if the person confesses his or her wrongdoings and agrees to undergo up to six months of "re-education."

Insurgencies occurred daily in the Muslim-dominated southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat which were once independent sultanate of Pattani before being annexed by predominantly Buddhist state in 1909.

Since the resurgence of insurgency in 2004 in the restive south, altogether 4,453 local people have been killed and 7,239 others injured in 10,386 violent incidents instigated by suspected secessionists.

Source: Xinhua