Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung says miscommunication and a lack of teamwork between security agencies is hampering counter-insurgency strategies in the far South.
Mr Chalerm made his first visit to the violence-plagued region last week. He said on Wednesday that many security officials in the region were still confused about the proper chain of command.
Mr Chalerm, who is in charge of security in the far South, opened a new counter-insurgency command centre in Bangkok last year to drive state strategies for ending southern unrest.
The centre is designed to coordinate the operations of all security agencies operating in the region and monitor their work.
It was established last year despite opposition from critics who said it was not necessary and may duplicate the work of other agencies.
The government argued that the centre would improve efficiency and cooperation between security agencies by coordinating the work of units carrying out intelligence tasks.
However, Mr Chalerm admitted Wednesday his trip to the region had revealed that "officials, especially state civil servants, lack some understanding".
As a result, agencies were still carrying out their duties separately and the centre had not succeeded in unifying their operations, he said.
"If this problem is solved, the situation will get better," Mr Chalerm said. He maintained that the centre can still act as an effective coordinator for security agencies.
During his visit to the South, security officers also asked the deputy premier to ensure repairs to roads and bridges in the region, and to clear roadside bushland to prevent insurgents from planting bombs.
Mr Chalerm said he would forward their requests to specific agencies, though admitted he may not have the authority to hand down such orders. "The best way is to have Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra hand down the commands," he said.
Asked about othe continuiing violence in the region following the start of peace talks between the government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group, Mr Chalerm claimed the violence was an attempt by other insurgent groups to tell the government they want to join the talks.
NSC secretary-general Paradorn Pattanatabut said the government welcomes all separatist groups to the negotiating table.
The next round of talks, scheduled for April 29, aims to reduce violence in the deep South, he said. In particular, separatist groups will be asked why violence is continuing now the peace talks process is under way.
A police and military unit on Wednesday arrested four men suspected of attacking a security checkpoint in Narathiwat's Si Sakhon district on Tuesday night.
The group was apprehended while riding motorcycles along a local road in tambon Si Sakhon.
Among them was Abdunroim Yuso, who was already on a list of suspected insurgents, investigators said.
An army ranger and a territorial defence volunteer on duty at the Chaloemchai checkpoint were wounded in the attack.
Ranger Thosaporn Tampeng, 26, who suffered a serious wound to his left leg, is being treated at Narathiwat Ratchanakarin hospital while volunteer Udomdet Wan-aelo, 37, sustained minor injuries.
The two were among 14 members of a security unit assigned to the area during the Songkran festival.
Investigators believe about 10 people were involved in the attack.
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