The forthcoming military withdrawal in the southern region of Thailand, which has seen 19 years of insurgent unrest, is currently in its initial phase, according to Fourth Region Army commander, Lt. Gen. Santi Sakuntanak. The four-year plan aims to gradually decrease military presence and remove the state of emergency that has been prevalent in the area.
Since 2004, Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani, along with certain sections of Songkhla, have been in a state of upheaval due to various kinds of civil unrest. This turmoil has had detrimental impacts on the lives of the people, the economy and the social fabric of the region. A planned military withdrawal from these areas is anticipated to bring some relief and push for normalization.
The turmoil first erupted in January 2004 when militants stormed the 4th Development Battalion at the Kromluang…
