Police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and military officers have been ordered to leave for the South Wednesday morning to investigate last night's bombings in Pattani province, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Wednesday.
Gen Prawit, who is in charge of national security, said Pol Gen Chakthip and other officers were to be in Pattani this morning to investigate the bomb explosions that killed one and wounded 30 people at Southen View Hotel in Muang district.
He declined to comment when asked if the latest violence was meant to pile pressure on the Thai peace talks team, saying that he had not discussed the matter with Gen Aksara Kerdpol, chief of the Thai peace negotiators.
It was earlier reported that the government might send its official team to resume the peace talks with representatives of the Muslim insurgent groups on Sept 2.
Gen Prawit said he personally thought the peace talks should resume only after ongoing violence had eased, adding that he had told this to the 4th Army commander.
The defence minister also said last night's bombings in Pattani were not linked to the arson and bomb attacks on Aug 11-12 in Hua Hin of Prachuap Khiri Khan in the Central region and six southern provinces of Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga, Phuket, Surat Thani and Trang.
He said the investigation into the Aug 11-12 attacks, headed by deputy police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahamanakul, had made much progress and more arrest warrants were expected to be issued.
