Fourth Army Region chief Lt Gen Santi Sakuntanak on Saturday denied claims the army has pursued legal action against youths in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat simply for wearing a traditional Malay outfit while taking part in activities held at a fair promoting Malay culture.
Those who are facing court summons were actually involved in activities aimed at promoting separatism and clearly displaying the symbol of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu-Patani (BRN) separatist movement, Lt Gen Santi told the Bangkok Post.
He also urged those who attempting to spread fake news about these youths to stop it, saying a traditional Malay costume contest had already been held in a past fair and no one objected.
That shows how much Thai authorities support local people in the far South in proudly expressing their cultural identities and roots, he said.
Lt Gen Pramote Promin, spokesman for the 4th Region Army, said certain groups had exploited the Malay culture fair to serve their own purposes.
Some had inserted a poem reading activity where poems promoting separatism were read; others decorated the fair with BRN flags and by chanting "Patani Merdeka", calling for an "independent Patani".
The fair has also ensnared politicians, with some under fire last year for attending the event, linked as it allegedly was to the separatist movement.
Fair Party list-MP Kannavee Suebsang, who knows a number of youths facing the court summonses, insisted on his Facebook on Saturday there weren't any BRN flags waved at last year's fair, which he and House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha had attended.
According to Mr Kannavee, most of the people facing court summonses in connection with the alleged sedition at the southern fair were organisers of the fair.
They had spoken with the 4th Region Army and reached an agreement that they would fully comply with the law. They did as promised, he said.
"As it turns out, the 4th Region Army chief later lodged a complaint against them, which many still fail to understand why," said Mr Kannavee.
Since it wasn't clearly stated in the court summons as to when the alleged misconduct happened, Mr Kannavee said, he suspected it was from previous cultural activities held in 2022 and 2023.
Kannavee: No BRN flags at last fair
