Cabinet reshuffle which saw the replacement of Deputy Prime Minister Kowit Wattana with General Yutthasak Sasiprapa may impact on the ongoing efforts of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) to resolve the unrest problem in the restive deep South.

Although the Pheu Thai party won the July 3 election in a landslide capturing at least 265 out of a total of 500 House seats under contest, it was roundly defeated in the three southernmost provinces by the Democrats. The party’s complete failure in the restive region has posed a host of questions to the new Pheu Thai-led government which is yet to be formed regarding some key policies advocated ...

Two names which appeared on a list of 12 individuals ordered by the National Council for Peace and Order to report to the military at the army club in accordance with Order No 50 sounded unfamiliar to most people outside the three southernmost provinces.

Without any media publicity, the Songkhla provincial administrative court ordered the Army and the Ministry of Defence to award two Yala students 505,000 baht in compensation plus interest for holding them in custody beyond the legal limits permissible by the Martial Law.

The second half of August was unusually calm for the deep South with less bomb attacks and shooting incidents.