VIENTIANE, Laos, June 12 (UPI) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has ordered security forces to go on the attack against southern rebels, the Bangkok Post said this weekend.
Shinawatra gave the order after chairing a high level security meeting Friday that discussed the growing Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, the paper said.
"The government's switch back to tough military action against the insurgents follows two new separate attacks " that are believed to have been the work of the militants, the Bangkok Post said.
The new military offensive is planned to last at least one month and has the goal of preempting militant attacks on southern civilians "and at forcing the insurgents to cease their guerrilla warfare," the paper said.
The new policy will allow government troops to use hit and run tactics in what state officials told the paper would be a "fierce and forceful" offensive.
