Thai PM denies gov't in negotiation with insurgents

BANGKOK, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat Wednesday denied that the Thai government has been negotiating with insurgents in the restive southernmost provinces.

The remarks came after Indonesian media reported that the Indonesian government is ready to coordinate possible talks between the Thai government and the southern insurgents.

Somchai said he had asked an official concerned with the reports and was told that no negotiations have been held with any insurgent groups.

The prime minister reiterated that the southern insurgency is an internal problem, and he believed that the situation had improved, despite violent incidents continue to take place frequently in the region.

Somchai, who also serves as defense minister, said that he plans to visit the deep south in the near future.

He added he would personally take on the responsibility of overseeing the southern unrest issue, as "officials in the region are already working to full capacity", according to The Nation news website report.

Insurgent violence continued in Thailand's deep south as three Special Forces soldiers were severely wounded in a fierce gunfight in an ambush by suspected militants in Narathiwat province on Wednesday.

The insurgents ambushed the army pickup transporting six Special Forces soldiers from both sides of the road in Bacho district, Narathiwat, one of the three southernmost provinces raged by almost daily violence since January 2004 that has claimed over 3,500 lives.

The new ambush came as the predominantly Muslim region celebrated the end of the holy month of Ramadan, known locally as Hari Rayor.

Before the latest attack in Narathiwat, in neighboring Yala province, gunmen shot dead two young men aged 23 and 25, in Yaha district Tuesday evening. Police found shotgun shells and a metal casing of an AK47 round near the two victims.

In the same district, the Darululome Nibongbaru private Islamic school came under arson attack Tuesday evening. Firemen rushed to the site and succeeded in containing the fire from spreading to the rest of the building, The Nation reported on Wednesday.

Somchai said his government will revise its strategy and what it will implement to cope with the unrest after it presents its policy statement before the House of Representatives.

The premier said the National Security Council and state agencies concerned had already wrapped up a strategic plan to address the issue.