Samak dismisses Chalerm's special zone idea

"I would like to tell Chalerm Yoobamrung that I have faced so many criticisms for making such comments," he said.

Samak said Chalerm should not rush to circulate his half-baked opinions on the security situation in the South before discussing and forming a firm stand with authorities concerned.

"I understand that Chalerm might have read and agreed about the special zone from some books, but it is dangerous to flaunt his stand when he should have discussed the issue within a small circle first," he said, in reference to a planned national security meeting to review the southern insurgency.

"I just want to say to Chalerm that his comments on such an issue might trigger more problems," he said.

Earlier the day, Chalerm said support for the establishment of a special administrative zone..

He said all government agencies concerned would have to help him study which should be the best model of special administrative zone for Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat.

The zone could be modelled after China or Germany, he said.

He said he would develop the three provinces to be religious centres.

However, Chalerm said the military will be the main unit in charge of solving the Southern violence.

by Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation