PATTANI, May 24 (Thailand) - The government is heavily promoting thecultivation of oil palms in Thailand's southern border provinces as ameans of generating local incomes in the region currently lacking ineconomic opportunities, the deputy governor of Pattani Province, Mrs.Phannee Kaensuwan, revealed today.

Mrs. Phannee said that the government was providing assistance for thecultivation of an additional 100,000 rai of land with oil palms in thethree southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat by the end ofnext year.

The oil palm scheme is part of a wider government initiative to boostincome levels in the southern border region, where poverty has fomentedinsurgency.

The palms will be largely grown on land which is currently not in use.

Mrs. Phannee said that the government was also backing the construction ofa palm oil extraction plant in the Bajoh Industrial Estate, capable ofproducing 45 tonnes of oil per hour.

In Pattani, 355 farmers have already been selected for the scheme to growoil palms on 2,306 rai of land.