Bangkok, March 3 (IANS) Thailand is one inseparable nation state and the caretaker government does not support any bid to ever divide it, acting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Monday.
Her comments followed news reports that army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha recently told the military based in the northern region to take legal action against a group of people in general and pro-government Red Shirt activists in particular for an alleged, unconfirmed bid to separate the country or to set up a new country named ‘Lanna’.
“Thailand is one inseparable country and the government does not support any alleged attempt to divide the country… Members of the public are suggested not to panic and rest assured the government does not support secessionism,” Xinhua quoted the acting premier as saying.
However, she said the authorities, including the military which have raised the issue, may launch an investigation into the allegations that a secessionist move might have been hatched among Red Shirt activists to split the country into two with the new one being named “Lanna,” which generally refers to the northern provinces with Chiang Mai city as the core.
“There’d be no such thing as secessionist conspiracy for the time being, but such allegations may be probed in unbiased, fact-finding fashion and justice be served to all parties,” she added.