Chalerm: Curfews possible in 'problematic' areas in South

The government might impose curfews in "problematic" areas in the South, Deputy PM Chalerm Yoobam-rung said yesterday, while Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra instructed officials to separate criminal activity from insurgent acts and equip officials with the latest technology and safety equipment.

Citing his recent meeting with Malaysian PM Najib Razak, Chalerm said both countries we opposed to separatism.

"We did everything but if things aren't improved, we might impose curfews in some problematic sub-districts or districts," Chalerm said. "I think it's inevitable … if in some areas the authorities can't thoroughly cover, there's a necessity, hence [curfew] is a choice we are considering."

A decision on curfews will be made in a meeting of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) on Friday.

The Cabinet yesterday approved 900 of the proposed 2,700 territorial volunteer defence positions to increase security forces in the South.

Yingluck urged the Interior Ministry to draw up plans to fill the remaining 1,800 positions and more.

In the investigation of Sunday's car bombing that killed five soldiers in Yala's Raman district, authorities said a 16-year-old male suspect who allegedly planted road spikes to help the bombers gave useful testimony. It led to the discovery of a garage in Pattani's Kapho district where the bombing was planned and the car was painted. Four other male suspects were detained for questioning.

Meanwhile yesterday, Corporal Suthas Waemayi, 32, was seriously wounded in a shooting in Narathiwat's Rangae district at 1.30pm.

Suthas was talking to villager Marosuli Thoh in front of Marosuli's house in Tambon Bongo, when men hiding in the bushes shot Suthas once in the back of the neck with a handgun.

In Pattani, police announced that Maruding Yusoh, 25, who was killed in a raid on Monday, was an operative insurgent. A 9mm pistol in Maruding's possession yielded evidence linked to 10 other attacks.

Three of his friends, aged 18 to 29, were suspected to be sympathisers of the Ronda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) insurgency movement and were under investigation.