Bangkok: “Phumtham” led the National Security Council (NSC) meeting to deliberate on the southern border strategic plan. The meeting, chaired by Mr. Phumtham Vejjayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, took place in Meeting Room 301, Command Building 1, Government House, and lasted approximately one hour.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chatchai Bangchuad, Secretary-General of the NSC, refrained from providing details to the media regarding the progress of the strategic plan for the southern border. This comes after Mr. Phumtham indicated earlier in the day that there would be further discussions in the meeting. Mr. Chatchai emphasized that the discussions were preliminary and that details would be revisited later as there were many aspects to consider.
The strategic plan has already exceeded the one-month drafting timeframe set by Mr. Phumtham, who has also ordered a review of the peace talks team’s role to ensure its effectiveness. The government is notably working towards a strategy where politics takes precedence over military efforts, reminiscent of the approach during Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra’s tenure as an advisor to the ASEAN Chairman.
