Phuket sends reinforcements to South

PHUKET CITY: Police from Phuket are being sent as reinforcements to three troubled southern provinces to help quell continuing violence and attempt to improve relations between local agitators and law enforcement officers. The inclusion of 24 Phuket officers among 335 additional police being sent from Region 8 to Region 9 was revealed yesterday by Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Veerayuth Sittimalic. He told the Gazette that the officers are receiving special training before going to work in troubled Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces, where torching and bombing of schools and other official buildings, along with attacks on soldiers and police, have escalated since January 4. The first batch of Phuket-based officers went to the troubled region two weeks ago. Half of the extra police volunteered for the task because they know the South while the others were chosen carefully from among officers younger that 35 and with good work records. “We are sending 24 officers, including a Police Sub Lieutenant, Lieutenant or Captain, and 23 officers from lower ranks,” Gen Veerayuth said. He added that officers will receive an extra 2,000 baht a month each while working in the South.