Emergency decree to be extended in S. Thailand

The weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a request to extend the emergency decree's enforcement in Thailand's three southernmost provinces for another three months, from July 20 to Oct. 19, deputy government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said, the Bangkok Post's website reported.

The three provinces are Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat as the extension request was made by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).

Thailand's deep South comprises mainly the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwas, and the four districts of Song-kla province.

At least 3,500 people have been killed by the daily violence attack by the suspected separatists since January 2004.

Source: Xinhua