Teng Natthapong urges the Prime Minister, as overseer of the police and Ministry of Interior, to resolve the assassination attempt on MP Kamolsak, noting it undermines confidence in efforts to end unrest in the South. He believes people in the three southern border provinces are ready to utilize their culture to invigorate the economy.
On 18 July 2026, Natthapong Ruangpanyawut, party-list MP and leader of the People's Party, speaking as opposition leader, commented on his recent visit to MP Kamolsak Liwamo's home in Narathiwat to follow up on the case and offer support. He said that addressing the southern border issues, both in terms of people's quality of life and security, is impossible without public trust. Regarding the case of MP Kamolsak, society already knows the individuals involved in the assassination attempt, including state officials who used weapons and government vehicles, but there remains a lack of clarity about who ordered it and the motives.
When even an elected representative from the area suffers such an attack and the state cannot provide answers, how can the local people trust and believe in the state's processes? The ongoing movements in the southern border provinces represent a struggle for popular support, and the case of MP Kamolsak has yet to be transparently explained to the public. I see no clear path for gaining popular support. Therefore, the starting point of this issue is crucial.
Natthapong added that many aspects of the case's progress point directly to the Prime Minister, including the police's weak handling of the investigation, since the Prime Minister supervises the Royal Thai Police. There are also issues concerning the vehicle used in the attack, possibly involving a provincial governor. The Prime Minister also controls the Ministry of Interior. Thus, the person who must provide clarity and restore public confidence in the area is none other than Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul. This is the starting point, and other matters are gradually being resolved.
Natthapong stated that during his recent visit to the area, people in the three southern border provinces are ready to creatively leverage their cultural capital to revive and grow the economy. Pattani and the southern region will not develop further unless the root causes of the conflict are addressed directly. Supporting security agencies to restore short-term peace is necessary, and the opposition fully supports this. However, it is equally important to resolve the underlying conflicts so that citizens and investors can trust and see a promising future for investment.