Bangkok, March 31, SPA -- In a surprise turnaround, PrimeMinister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday ordered the partialwithdrawal of troops from Thailand's southern provinces,where separatist violence has claimed more than 780 livessince January last year. The announcement came after lawmakers bombarded Thaksinwith criticism over his government's hardline response tocontinuing attacks by insurgents in the largely Muslimprovinces during a rare joint session of parliament. "I ordered the minister concerned to make adjustments tothe troop deployment _ the soldiers with heavy arms thatare present in the area have to pull out," he said,without specifying the size of the troop reduction. Some 35,000 troops had been deployed in the region.Thaksin said the defense ministry had been ordered to carryout the withdrawal, and that he was considering a demand bylawmakers to lift the martial law that has been imposed inthe southern provinces since last year.--SPA1322 Local Time 1022 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/251109