A potentially powerful home-made bomb and two bottles of benzene, believed to be part of a plot to create unrest, were found by a roadside in Yala province yesterday morning.Police bomb experts rushed to the scene about 6:30 a.m. after being alerted about a suspicious-looking box hidden in a trash bin. The box, containing a bomb weighing over 5 kg., was deactivated. Police believed
Earlier this week Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva sat down to discuss measures to combat the southern insurgency.
Deputy Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said yesterday cooperation from all sides was needed to solve the southern violence. He said that the government will consider a nine-point proposal by the opposition to contain the unrest.
He also explained the government's plan to set up a southern command center. The Internal Security Operations Command and the Southern Border Province Administration Center both back the center, but the opposition is opposed to it. Mr Abhisit said the center was likely to obstruct coordination and hinder public participation in peace-making efforts.
Gen Yutthasak said the region is in dire need of about 4,000-5,000 extra police. He said national police chief-designate Adul Saengsingkaew would train additional officers to be sent to the region in six months.