It is a bit simpler and more obvious than that. Down in the southern portion of the country in the Kra isthmus there is a largish Moslem population.Moslems have been attempting to kill off or drive out the Buddhists there and have perpetrated some pretty atrocious murders, beheadings and such. It is self and national defense pure and simple.
They are coming from Indonesia which is the country that has the largest Muzzie population in the world.
They are also on the Phillipine island of Mindinao causing problems there.