Posted on 09/20/2006 3:54:59 AM PDT by excludethis
Thailand must negotiate with leaders of an ethnic Malay Muslim separatist insurgency if it wants to end bloodshed in its troubled Muslim-majority southern provinces, the country’s army chief said on Friday.
General Sondhi Boonyaratkalin said the violence, which has claimed more than 1,500 lives, would not be quelled if authorities only arrested the foot-soldiers of the militancy, but refused to talk to its instigators. “It is necessary to talk to make lasting peace,” Gen Sondhi, the first Muslim to head the Thai army, told Thai journalists on Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT The appeal for talks with insurgents came a day after bombs in 22 banks across the province of Yala exploded almost simultaneously, killing a retired official, and injuring 28 people.
The highly co-ordinated attacks on the banks, including two state-owned Islamic banks, demonstrated the militants’ rising technical capacity, and their willingness to strike at the foundations of the economy of the region, an ethnic Malay Muslim-majority enclave in Buddhist-majority Thailand.
“Nothing is spared,” said Sunai Phasuk, a political analyst with Human Rights Watch. “So far, they have targeted administrative structures, security forces, law enforcement, educational structures, and cultural structures, like Buddhist monks. Now they attack the economic structure, which means nothing put in place by the Thai state is accepted.”
Since the renewed flare-up in January 2004 of a decades-old separatist insurgency, Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister, has promised to shower the troubled region with money to accelerate economic growth, while also imposing a state of emergency that allows security forces to use harsh measures to crack down on suspected militants.
Mr Thaksin has, in public, staunchly refused to engage in negotiations to end the long-standing conflict, which has at its roots resistance by ethnic Malay Muslims against forcible assimilation into the Thai state, and resentment at discrimination against them in jobs and education.
Yet behind the scenes, some Thai officials have been quietly engaging over the last year with “certain individuals” – including prominent southern Thai Muslims in political exile – who are seen as potentially able to influence the insurgents.
“The army has been trying to talk with the intellectual leaders of the militant groups,” Mr Sunai said.
However, Mr Sunai said negotiations still faced formidable obstacles, including ensuring that those southern Thai Muslims in contact with officials could actually exert influence on the ground.
I know what I see, what I read, and the history and I am quite aware of the problems with the recently elected government.
I am also aware of the historical progressions after a young and immature democracy fails.
For Thailand to actually improve after this, it would be contrary to everything known about the subject.
It appears that like some small eastern European countries who have similar problems emerging from Communist domination, Thailand will be taking a big step backwards and will devolve in many respects.
Monarchies are not the way forward for counties as large and as developed as Thailand. It is their growing relationship with Iran and the potential and actual past technology transfers that are at the heart of this, and will also lead to Thailand's devolution and eventual isolation from the U.S. which will hurt it badly.
It is a different world, and this coup was a mistake.
Get back to me when you finally figure it out.
So please give me your take on the events of the last year.
"I don't know any Khmer or Vietnamese but Thai's are some of the most aggressive people I have ever met in my life"
I hate to generalize this way but it seems true that the Vietnamese and Khmer are the nicest people around, unless and until you cross the line. The you're dealing with some really aggressive and volatile emotions.
Unfortunately the Khmer and Vietnamese have not been able to establish the kind of national unity seen in the Thais. I suspect that's because of monarchy, but that's just a theory.
"a dangerous period of time for Thailand, and not a return to the good ole days....."
You mean like the good old days of 1992?
Man, you need to read some history or at least get out of the house from time to time.
Some questions:
1. What, concisely is the immediate future of Thailand?
2. Will the the general move the Thai military toward acceptance of a defacto islamic state in the islamic provinces?
3. If the answer to no.2 is yes; will Thailand ultimately fall to islamic rule?
This has already been announced. Currently the heads of the various ministries (Interior, Defense, etc...) are responsible for the running over their offices. A civilian government will be set up within the next 2 weeks and will be responsible for running the government. They will then work on a schedule for elections to be held within one year.
2. Will the the general move the Thai military toward acceptance of a defacto islamic state in the islamic provinces?
There has been NO ACCEPTANCE OF AN ISLAMIC STATE and there never will be one in Thailand. I have no idea where everyone is getting this idea. Absolutely nobody in the military is in favor of this. It will not happen.
Killjoy is better suited to your questions, except this:
"will Thailand ultimately fall to islamic rule?"
To which the answer is an unrestrained "No, Never, Not Happening, Don't Even Think About It."
Thank you. I admit that I haven't followed Thai politics. I do, however have strong feelings for the Thai people arising from their dedicated support of our nation in the VN war (and since).
Man, you need to read some history or at least get out of the house from time to time.
OK....I've had enough of this nonsense...
Thailand has already been implicated in the AQ Khan network. This was all prior to the government that fell yesterday.
Both of you continue to defend this military takeover, justify it, and then do not pay any attention to what the subject line of this thread is.
It is the quote from the new man in charge. You know.....the guy who does not take any grief from Muslims and would have taken care of the problem if not for the big bad government and Constitution that they just chucked in the trashcan..
I suppose you think his comments meant nothin....as everything is now hunky dory!
I guess maybe I don't understand at all........[sarcasm]
So put your money where your mouth is. Please explain the events of the past year in Thai politics to us. You say I don't know what I am talking about, so please correct me. A good starting place will probably be september of last year since that is what led up to this. I am all ears oh great wise one.
"I guess maybe I don't understand at all........[sarcasm]"
Let me explain it to you:
He is one single Muslim. One.
His followers are all Buddhists.
...and he has earned their respect for a reason.
This is typical, and when that day nears, they will again announce a years delay....2008...09....010..........
Welcome back to the third world....You have it under control....
Have fun!
So you attack others for being ignorant, but when asked to explain things, you are completely unable to do it. Funny.
Same with Fox News this morning. According to them, the unrest is solely because of the PM's corruption, namely that his family sold a major holding to Singapore and didn't pay any taxes on the billion dollar deal.
Not doubting his corruption, but it does us all a grave disservice to ignore the Islamic aspect to the story. You'd think we'd eventually be smarter than that, especially in light of the bank bombings.
I fear for this country if we don't wake up.
This should be off the news very soon,,The King has spoken,
Back To Work.
I never suggested a Islamic takeover...You have me confused with someone else.
What I suggested was a total reversal of the progress made with Thailand's support in the WOT and a strengthening of already brewing relations with Iran.
Things happen for much bigger scope reasons than a corrupt official who who resisted attempts to remove him for a few months....The Thai public was just a pawn in the game.
This change will be long term. This is but the beginning. The rest is up in the air, but likely will follow historical patterns of a government that becomes a thorn in the side of the West, and not a new ally, as was originally predicted.
I don't really care what sort of dogs that Thailand lies down with.
I do know that you always get up with fleas, and I have said as much.
Thailand pops up frequently as a fertile and mostly safe ground for both JI and AQ. A JI leader was arrested there a couple of years ago (involved in Bali bombing) and the IIRO 'charity' is the largest single source of outside funding to the muslim south. The IIRO had its US funds frozen post 911 after it was tied to AQ.
A wahabbi school funded by the shia Saudis and staffed by Saudi and Egyptian wahabbist radicals is flourishing in the muslim south. Hundreds of Thai muslims are studying in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
JI has made it clear that it is their intention, their goal to establish a SE Asian caliphate that would include Thailand.
This is not a seperatist problem. It is a WOT issue. The muslim general in charge wants to talk?
I know the General is Muslim but Muslims only make up 5% of the Population. For the Muslims to take over the country they'd have to be 100% of the Military which they aren't
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