Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Phumtham Wechayachai has given a briefing on the Government’s policies to develop the southern border provinces, aimed at improving local people’s living conditions.

Mr. Phumtham, in his capacity as Chairman of the Southern Border Provinces Development Strategy Committee, visited the southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat on 5-6 June 2024. He chaired a meeting on 6 June at the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) in Yala to provide relevant officials with guidelines for the development of the southern border provinces.

At the meeting, Mr. Phumtham briefed five development policies for the deep South. The first policy involves the acceleration of infrastructure development in order to generate employment and distribute income for local people. This includes the development of twin cities bordering Thailand and Malaysia, construction of the second border bridge crossing the Sungai Kolok River, construction of a new road connecting Sadao border checkpoint in Thailand with a border checkpoint in Malaysia, community tourism development, and the promotion of agricultural products.

 The second policy seeks to upgrade the local people’s quality of life so as to ease their poverty problem, reduce their expenses, and increase their income, as well as providing local residents with great opportunities for general and vocational education, together with religious knowledge.

The third policy involves public health, with an emphasis on reducing maternal and child mortality, pushing for the establishment of psychiatric hospitals to treat local people, and providing them with proper knowledge in public health.

The fourth policy seeks to promote multicultural coexistence, provide local residents with equal access to public services, and encourage all groups of local people to participate in tackling problems in the deep South and join local development.

The fifth policy seeks to take care of those affected by violent incidents in the deep South, on an inclusive and equal basis, with fairness and without discrimination.

In this regard, SBPAC, the five southernmost provinces, and other relevant agencies were instructed to translate these policies into action for concrete results as soon as possible.