During the meeting on 19 February 2013, some Senate members praised military forces’ operations in Thailand’s southernmost region. They voiced support for the use of HM the King’s initiative called “Understanding, Mutual Respect and Development” with the restive provinces since many incidents were sparked by unfair treatments of the locals.
The Senate also suggested the government to persuade the local residents to participate in solving the problem of violence in the Deep South and urged Deputy PM Chalerm Yubamrung to exercise discretion in appointing the Wadah group of Muslim politicians to be his advisors.
Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip Jurin Laksanawisit expressed his view that the involvement of the Wadah group would worsen conflicts. He also called for the Prime Minister to take Mr Chalerm’s place as the person in charge of the solution of the southern unrest, reasoning that the government’s work on the issue had been flawed and ineffective.
