Article 116

Army, police chiefs call for unity to end unrest

WASSANA NANUAM

The army and police chiefs yesterday travelled to the deep South to visit military and police units operating in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces.

Gen Pravit Wongsuwan, the army chief, and Pol Gen Kowit Wattana, the national police chief, called on all police and military personnel in the troubled region to be united and work together as a team.

The chiefs were accompanied by army chief-of-staff Gen Pongthep Thespratheep, deputy army chief-of-staff Lt-Gen Pathompong Kesornsuk, assistant army chief-of-staff for operations Lt-Gen Kittipong Keskowit and assistant army chief-of-staff for intelligence Lt-Gen Waipoj Srinual.

The party visited the Santi Task Force at the Fourth Development Battalion headquarters in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district, the Narathiwat Task Force at Chulabhorn camp in Narathiwat, the Yala Task Force at Sirindhorn camp in Pattani's Yarang district and the Pattani Task Force in Pattani's Muang district.

They also met owners of private Islamic schools and ponoh schools in Yala.

Gen Pravit said the military and police will operate under the command of Gen Sirichai Tunyasiri, deputy supreme commander and director of the Southern Border Provinces Peace-Building Command.