Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has followed up on the progress of development work in the southern border provinces, saying that the Government attaches great importance to administrative decentralization and is ready to provide full assistance to the people.

The Prime Minister visited the deep South on 16 January 2025 to get first-hand information of local problems and inspect development projects. Upon her arrival in Narathiwat Province, she met local students and parents who were attending the “Debt Resolution Fair: A Path to Justice,” organized by the Ministry of Justice.

The Prime Minister thanked all sectors for their efforts to open up opportunities for local people, so that they could participate in the debt restructuring program, which would help tackle the country’s economic problems and reduce people’s production costs.

Later, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting at Princess of Naradhiwas University in Mueang District. She listened to a briefing on the construction progress of a parallel bridge across the Kolok River in Su-ngai Kolok District, and the Hat Yai - Su-ngai Kolok double-track railway project.

The Prime Minister said that the construction of the parallel bridge across the Kolok River is a project being carried out jointly by Thailand and Malaysia. It is expected that the construction of the bridge will begin in June 2025 and will be completed in 2027.

As for the Hat Yai - Su-ngai Kolok double-track railway project, she pointed out that members of the public would benefit from faster goods transportation and said that the Government was adopting new technology for developing transport systems.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn also visited Thamavitya Mulniti School in Yala Province to meet local students and teachers, as well as religious leaders from the five southern border provinces. The school provides both religious knowledge and general education based on the curricula of the Ministry of Education.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government intends to provide greater educational opportunities for young people in all parts of Thailand. This would also increase their opportunities for employment and income generation.