Army tots up dual nationals on border
Army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong yesterday insisted the army needs to re-survey the number of people with dual citizenship living in the southern border provinces.
“A check into the people holding dual citizenship in the southern border areas is being carried out while security is being tightened up at border posts and checkpoints,” the army chief said yesterday during a visit to the headquarters of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 in Pattani’s Yarang district.
The army chief said related agencies had held a meeting in Bangkok about tallying people with dual citizenship in the restive southernmost provinces.
The meeting was attended by other parties concerned including the Interior Ministry, Finance Ministry, Excise Department and Customs Department, he said, adding that a committee responsible for administering the counting process has been formed.
The meeting agreed with the move as the last census of those with dual citizenship in that area was conducted over two decades ago, he said.
According to a security source, the last survey, which was conducted in 1993, found there were more than 30,000 dual nationals at that time.
This security source told the Bangkok Post said the actual number is now expected to “be much higher”.
Lt Gen Pornsak Poosawat, commander of the 4th Army Region and head of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4, earlier said authorities have long claimed people who held both Malaysian and Thai citizenship were responsible for acts of violence related to the conflict and wanted the issue to be resolved.
In addition to tallying people with dual citizenship and beefing up overall security, the army plans to seek to hold joint military exercises with Malaysian forces, said Gen Apirat.
“At the very least, the joint exercises will be an opportunity for both countries to demonstrate how determined they are in their efforts to work together to deal with security issues along the border,” he said.