The spokesman for the command’s committee to mobilise policy and strategy to solve problems in the Southern border provinces, Samphan Musordee, said a 13-strong team, led by Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr, started work on October 12.
Samphan said the committee’s seven working plans included security and peace-promotion plans.
The operation is located in the Somdet Phra Suriyothai Military Camp in Pattani’s Nong Chik district.
Samphan said the team had met with the Sheikh ul Islam of Thailand to discuss guidelines for peace restoration.
He said the team would announce its results every Monday and report to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha weekly.
Meanwhile, six soldiers travelling on an armoured pick-up truck to visit local residents in Pattani’s Yaring district yesterday morning had a lucky escape after a 90-kilogram bomb buried in the road went off before the truck reached it.
The explosion caused a three-metre wide, two-metre deep crater in the road. The truck was damaged in the blast.
Police suspect that the bombing attack was carried out by insurgents in retaliation against state operations to arrest suspects.
Earlier yesterday, a team of police, military and defence volunteer personnel raided a house in Tambon Datoh in Nong Chik district and seized one M16 assault rifle and 51 bullets buried in the backyard. Two people found in the house were arrested.
In another development, at 3pm yesterday two suspected insurgents on a motorcycle shot dead Somprasong Jindamaneepol, 48, and his wife Thassanee, also 48, and wounded their employee Yuppadee Sae-ong at the couple’s construction-material shop on Pattan-Hat Yai Road in Nong Chik, police said.