PATTANI (SOUTHERN THAI): Implementing the ‘The Answer Lies in the Sub-district’ project takes time, much like ‘searching for a diamond,’ said the Director of Thailand’s 5th Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), Lt. Gen. Thatchaphon Piamwut.

“First, there is the difficulty of finding a diamond… after finding it, we then return to refine it into a valuable diamond.

“Next, we will look for buyers and then market it online. Fourth, when we manage to sell it, the money from the sale can be saved.

“This is similar to when we introduce this project. And we hope that this project will spread worldwide,” he told reporters today (August 22, 2024).

He said this when met after officiating the ‘The Answer Lies in the Subdistrict’ competition in the four southern provinces of Thailand – Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla – in Pattani.

Thatchaphon Piamwut introduced the project to address various issues along the southern Thai border.

‘The Answer Lies in the Subdistrict’ is the formation of economic working groups capable of producing and marketing products in each subdistrict in Southern Thailand.

Hoping that ‘The Answer Lies in the Subdistrict’ will be able to establish stability and peace in Southern Thailand, he adopted this approach by applying the philosophy of sufficiency economy and royal strategy, which includes understanding, accessing, and developing.

He said the ‘The Answer Lies in the Sub-district’ project began in 2021, and this is now its fourth year.

“Coincidentally, the main process of organizing activities this year is recruiting a large group of entrepreneurs and community enterprises in the southern border provinces, totaling more than 250 people or 120 working groups.

“Now they have come to showcase and exchange knowledge among working groups such as agriculture, fisheries, processing, handicrafts, conservation, and community tourism,” he said.

He also explained that the second project is the ‘Network Leader Capacity Development’ activity, which will begin next month.

Thatchaphon Piamwut is confident that the ‘The Answer Lies in the Subdistrict’ activity will be able to create sustainable peace this year and establish an economic network covering 290 districts in the South.

“We will help improve the quality of life for residents in the area with the philosophy of sufficiency economy, connecting sharing networks among the beautiful multicultural communities in the southern border provinces,” he added.