Bangkok: The working group has clarified the recent drama regarding the proposal to designate the southern border provinces as a special administrative region, akin to Xinjiang Uyghur.
According to Thai News Agency, the matter arose from Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, suggesting that the southern border provinces could become a special administrative region similar to China's Xinjiang Uyghur. Police Lieutenant General Pattanawut Angkanavin, attached to the Office of the Prime Minister and acting at the Ministry of Justice, addressed the issue as part of the Minister of Justice's working group.
On April 12, during the opening ceremony of Check-in Hal in Yarang District, Pattani Province, a project aimed at promoting tourism with a Malay-Islamic identity, discussions emerged about the region's potential for development. Thawee Sodsong, having visited Xinjiang Uygur Province, noted its economic and societal advancements, particularly in tourism, and drew parallels with the local cultural context of the southern provinces. He suggested that cultural promotion could lead to similar development. However, he emphasized that any move towards becoming a special administrative region should be decided by the local populace and must adhere to Thailand's constitutional principle of being an indivisible kingdom.
The working group urged that the challenges faced by the southern border provinces should not become politicized, highlighting the issue's sensitivity. Emphasizing security, the group called for efforts to foster reconciliation among the local communities.
