Bangkok: Mr. Phumtham Vejjayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, has gathered crucial information from the southern border provinces to report to Prime Minister Paethongtarn. This preparation aims to facilitate effective discussions for addressing ongoing issues in the region before the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to Malaysia.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Phumtham disclosed that this visit marked his first direct engagement with the operational level in the southern border provinces. During his visit, he emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of the region by engaging with district chiefs, police station chiefs, and battalion commanders across all 37 districts. These discussions aimed to gather tangible insights and suggestions from local administrators and those directly facing the challenges.
Mr. Phumtham also engaged with the civil society sector and business leaders, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Industry Council, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues. After these discussions, he reported the findings to commanders at various levels, including the commander of the 4th Army and the 9th Provincial Police, as well as governors of the southern border provinces. The National Security Council is set to summarize and integrate these results to facilitate further dialogues with Malaysia.
In preparation for the Prime Minister’s visit, Mr. Phumtham plans to provide a detailed summary of the issues to ensure the Prime Minister is well-informed. The upcoming discussions with Malaysian officials, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian Special Branch, are expected to cover various areas of concern. Mr. Phumtham remains optimistic about finding solutions, acknowledging the complexity but seeing potential avenues for resolution through collaborative efforts.
Reporters noted that Mr. Phumtham returned from the southern border provinces to the 6th Air Force Base Airport around 5:20 p.m. He is scheduled to brief the Prime Minister at 6:30 p.m. before the Prime Minister’s departure for the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.