The chairman of the Senate Military Committee views the recent flare-up of violence in the southern region as recurring near the fiscal year-end. He stresses the urgent need to improve intelligence and advises that those managing the southern border areas must understand local problems and cultural differences to help reduce conflicts between parties involved.
At 08:20 on 25 Aug 2026 GMT+7 at the parliament, Somboon Noonual, senator and chairman of the Senate Military and State Security Committee, commented on the escalating unrest in the three southern border provinces. He observed that such incidents often occur near the fiscal year-end but this time the violence is unusually severe, unacceptable to all Thais nationwide. However, locals continue their daily lives normally. The most crucial issue is the strategy and management of the three southern provinces. The current strategy is disproportionate to the region’s needs—it must first understand the southern problems and be truly tailored to the area, especially regarding personnel assigned to administration. Regarding intelligence this time, he found it quite poor; without good intelligence, responding, intercepting, or stopping events is very difficult, so urgent improvement is required. He noted high tensions between local groups and government sectors, especially the military. This strategy must be managed carefully, including selecting personnel familiar with the area. Poor intelligence means no effective response is possible, particularly since local resources are being burned, posing a significant challenge to state authority. He questioned why such acts occur and why local people cannot manage these incidents.
When asked if the over 300 billion baht budget spent on the region since the unrest began is like 'carrying water in a sieve,' failing to prevent violence and losses, Somboon said that viewpoint is understandable. However, the most important issue is the budget. Although the budget is cut yearly, the incidents reflect the government’s challenges. Particularly, the Senate, overseeing state administration, will closely examine this issue. The Military Committee will form a working group to investigate the causes and evaluate whether the budget spending has been worthwhile.
Regarding whether a resolution can be achieved in this government’s term, Somboon said it is difficult to say. Any action in the three southern provinces is like a double-edged sword—one side sees benefits, the other does not; it depends on perspective. The most important point is the future, which remains unclear on how to solve the problems. Overall, the country’s development offers hope the unrest may diminish. He urged all officials assigned to the south to truly understand local life, customs, and traditions, as initial conflicts often arise when personnel lack such knowledge, causing tensions to escalate.