Narathiwat: Better coordination between local administration, police and military officials as well as collaboration with villagers who have increased trust in the authorities have helped to foil insurgent attacks in the restive South, senior security officials say.
Rear Admiral Somkeart Ponprayoon, deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) operation centre unit 5, said the number of violent incidents, shootings and bombings have reduced from 501 in 2014 to 161 cases to date this year. The number of people killed has also fallen from 218 to 70, and those wounded fallen from 518 last year to 251 to date this year.
This is in contrast with the high number of incidents and casualties over the past decade which peaked in 2007 with 1,669 attacks, 652 deaths and 1,587 injuries, according to the statistics provided by Isoc.
He said this was the result of policy changes over the years that have stressed improved coordination between local officials at the grassroots level like village headmen and kamnans, and police and military officials.
Another key component is how they built trust with locals to the extent that villagers are much more willing to cooperate with the authorities, RDM Somkeart said.
"The situation in the deep South is complicated. But more prudence and care and improved policies have, over time, resulted in fewer casualties and more trust from the people," he said.
The officer took the Bangkok-based media to observe the coordination work between soldiers, marine police, border patrol police, customs, local police and administrative officers as well as religious leaders in Tak Bai and Bacho districts over the weekend.
He said that rounded intelligence helped to provide details of each separatist network and reach better conclusions about the causes of certain fatal attacks. The policy to strengthen the "plurality" of southern society with economic and social development is also paying dividends.
Captain Noppadol Titawattanaskul, Narathiwat Taskforce commander, Royal Thai Marine Corps, said the use of forensic science over the past three years has resulted in arrests backed by scientific proof linking perpetrators to incidents.
"We couldn't be complacent, though. Staying alert and exercising caution have helped prevent casualties, but now the pattern of bombings is changing," said Capt Noppadol, referring to insurgent use of new types of improvised explosives.
Imam Matyusoh Mat said the Tak Bai community still wants to see people who fled to Malaysia in fear of the authorities come back home. "The government has a 'bring people back home' policy but this has been implemented in an on-and-off fashion and understanding and trust towards these people has yet to take root," said Imam Matyusoh.
Those who were not involved in the separatist movement but were pushed to the other side would like to come back home and they were waiting for clarity and continuity of policy, the local religious leader said.