Police Colonel Calls for End to Southern Violence by 2026
Police Colonel Tawi Thakngop urged Thailand's National Security Council to end the southern border insurgency by 2026, noting the conflict has claimed nearly 10,000 lives and cost over 500 billion baht since its onset.
Police Colonel Tawi Thakngop, a list-based member of parliament for the Prachanachat Party, raised concerns during the second and third reading of the 2570 fiscal-year budget bill on September 7, 2026. Speaking on matters relating to the Prime Minister's Office and its agencies, he described the office as a "ministry above ministries" with oversized component bodies such as the Office of the Royal Counsel, the National Security Council, the National Economic and Social Development Council, and the Budget Bureau—some rivaling cabinet ministries in size and scope.
Thakngop expressed hope that the National Security Council will achieve its primary objective in 2570: ending the armed conflict in Thailand's southern border provinces. He recalled the devastating human and financial toll—more than 500 billion baht spent, nearly 10,000 lives lost, and tens of thousands injured or disabled.
He characterized the National Security Council not as a military body but as a professional organization linking intelligence gathering, situation assessment, policy formulation, coordination, and strategic advice to the government. He cited examples such as the Thai-Cambodian border disputes and the southern insurgency, both of which fall under the Council's purview. The Council's secretary has committed to resolving the southern unrest by 2570.
Thakngop noted that residents in the conflict zones regard National Security Council personnel as trustworthy and straightforward, describing them as "our people," not merely state officials. Although the Council's budget of over 100 million baht is modest, it represents hope for ending the violence, contingent on negotiating parties accepting a framework for dialogue.
He criticized the Office of National Strategy Reform and the broader national strategy framework, saying they concentrate power while remaining bound by the legacy of the previous regime. He noted that of 24,000 projects outlined under 37 strategic priorities, only 6 have succeeded. Rather than improving quality of life for ordinary citizens, he argued, the national strategy has primarily benefited state officials.
