Thailand's Emergency Situation Administration Committee (ESAC), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, announced on Monday that the state of emergency in Thailand's restive southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat is to be extended for another three months, from December 20, for security reasons.

The ESAC has decided to extend the decree on the grounds that the insurgents still have the capability to threaten security in the three provinces and there are signs that they may resort to violence, said a statement released by the ESAC.

However, Prawit said the state of emergency is enforceable across the three provinces, except in districts in Mae Larn and Mai Kaen of Pattani Province, Betong district of Yala Province and Su-ngai Kolok, Sukhirin and Si Sakhon districts of Narathiwat Province.

The ESAC statement also said that areas in the three provinces that are crucial to economic development, are exempted and are not inclusive in the state of emergency realm.