Developments in the southern border provinces of Thailand

Reports of child casualties owing to the unrest and violence in the southern border provinces remained a concern in 2010, although exact figures are not available. According to information received, many instances of death and injury of children are due to explosive devices in public spaces or indiscriminate shootings by unidentified armed perpetrators. This covers the far south provinces (Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat) and a part of Songkhla Province.

There has been a decline in the number of reported attacks against schools in 2010 (5 attacks), compared to the previous two years. Similarly, a decline in the number of attacks on students and teachers was recorded in 2010 (12 teachers and education personnel killed and 6 injured and 2 students killed and 5 injured). According to the Royal Thai Government, this was owing mainly to security measures implemented by the Government, including the provision of special escorts for children and teachers to and from schools, and to local community cooperation. These efforts aim at enhancing local solidarity and information sharing among heads of schools, religious teachers, government officials and students, as well as raising public awareness of the legal consequences of committing such crimes against students and teachers.

The United Nations has received information that points to the alleged involvement of children in activities of non-State armed groups and village defence volunteers (Chor Ror Bor). However, the United Nations country team in Thailand has informed my Special Representative that it is not in a position to monitor, report or verify these allegations, based on its activities in the area. The Royal Thai Government issued, in November 2009, a clear directive to the Governors of the southern border provinces prohibiting the recruitment of children under the age of 18, and stated that no children were associated with the village defence volunteers.

The Royal Thai Government has stated that allegations reported in my previous reports of children detained in police and army interviewing centres for their suspected association with armed groups had been addressed. According to the Government, child suspects are detained in these centres through a court order, and interviews are conducted in accordance with international standards. The Government also stated that there had been no cases of child detention in those centres since 2009, though the United Nations in Thailand is not in a position to verify this, despite visits to these centres. On 28 December 2010, the Cabinet lifted the state of emergency in the Mae Lan District of Pattani Province as a result of a systematic review of the Emergency Decree and improvement in the security in the area.