Police identify two suspects in grenade attack in Yala

Two men have been identified as suspected RKK insurgents who threw a grenade at eight security officials who were exercising at their base in Yala's Muang district on Tuesday.

Officials said a security camera captured the insurgents, who were dressed as Muslim women, launching the attack. They were identified as Softone Sama and Usman Dokor.

Both face arrest warrants in other security cases, in one of which they allegedly sprayed bullets at Lam Mai district police station in Muang district, also dressed as Muslim women.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old security volunteer Suthep Chanwanno and 39-year-old Pinyo Kongthon were injured in Yala's Muang district when a roadside bomb exploded as they were driving a motorcycle from Bor Jed Look to Yupo.

The two were travelling with six others on four motorcycles on their way to provide security for teachers. As they arrived at the scene, insurgents detonated a roadside bomb weighing about 3 kilograms, injuring two of them.

Najmuddin Uma, an adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, suggested three measures for solving the insurgency in the South.

The first is to hold talks with all groups that have different views from the government.

The second is to adopt a policy of putting political solutions ahead of military ones. For instance, by enforcing Article 21 of the Security Act to allow suspects to enter into plea-bargaining arrangements and to undergo training for six months.

Since the government's policy is to reduce reliance on the emergency decree to enforce security, military officers from other forces should be withdrawn and replaced by Fourth Army Region officers to reduce the ongoing conflict.

The third measure is to allow locals to participate in solving problems.

Meanwhile, security officials are stepping up security in six districts of Songkhla by stopping vehicles at checkpoints after a tip-off that a pickup truck and a car have been turned into car bombs: the former is an Isuzu pickup of unknown colour and licence plate number. The latter is a Malaysian Proton car, which looks like a Mitsubishi Lancer. No details of the car's licence plate number or colour were available.

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said a sustainable solution to the problem in the South would involve not only providing safety and security, but also a philosophy of "understand, win hearts and develop", as His Majesty the King had kindly advised.

"We cannot just measure success by counting the number of explosions that occur; we must create understanding and development, and allow public participation in bringing about justice, ensuring human rights and creating venues for peace talks,'' he said.