Thailand’s revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has warned that the kingdom’s stability depends on peace in the restive south where police said Thursday that a soldier and a civilian had been shot dead. Speaking before 510 newly-promoted police and army generals late Wednesday, the king, who usually only ventures into politics in times of crisis, said the key to peace would be greater cooperation between security forces. “With more serious and closer cooperation between police and soldiers the violence could be reduced,” the king said in the speech broadcast by state-radio Thailand Thursday.”Otherwise our nation could fail, which means the public would have no happiness or security,” said the monarch, who has already called for a less “heavy-handed” approach in the south. His speech came amid fresh violence Wednesday as a soldier and civilian were shot dead in separate attacks, said police. The 21-year-old civilian was shot dead near a checkpoint in Pattani, a police spokesman told AFP. The army ranger was shot dead by two men on motorcycle in Yala province less than two hours earlier. Nearly 550 people have been killed this year in Thailand’s south.Full Story
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