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.
Yeah, that's something I just pointed out to Hawthorn...Americans are going to assume the worst where the word "King" is concerned. In the Thai culture, however, this "King" is respected and admired to a level we almost cannot grasp in the United States. Not only because of his status as a Monarch, but for his behavior for over half a century in the public discourse. But, Hawthorn should understand that Americans are going to think, "King equals BAD..." "Muslim general taking over equals....uh oh..."
This is what drew my participation and my commentary.
But I now give up....It's hopeless.
Rationality is not a part of this coup or resulting discussion. It is all "If the King says it's good, then it's good", passion and emotional knee jerk.
You may be absolutely right. However, muslims lie like dogs. The general is a muslim. I do not trust any muslims due to their past behavior. Living there does not give you the ability to read Sondhi's mind. We will see what we will see.
> Now I don't want to be insulting <
No need to apologize. I can take any insult you're willing to send my way.
> while you are criticizing some of the posters here for their lack of knowledge of Thai politics, or their inability to understand Thai culture, perhaps it displays that you yourself have "gone native" at some point based on what appears to be your lack of understanding of AMERICAN culture. <
Aha! So when one attempts to understand the ins-and-outs of another country's culture and politics, and to explain same to some obviously unknowledgeable posters on this thread, one is suspected of going 'native' without further ado. I guess it goes with the territory!
And when it comes to American culture, my understanding is that the bulk of the population is mostly interested in Britney Spears, Jon Mark Karr and the Three Stooges. If I'm wrong, I'll happily stand corrected.
> You should understand that rank and file Americans will automatically assume the worst and have a negative perception of a COUP or a knee jerk reaction to a "KING" regardless of how respected that man may be in Thai culture. And at this point, you can add the word "Muslim" to the list of words that inspire automatic suspicion on the part of the American public <
One can only wish that the American public would even give a damn about such potentially important matters.
> so you should understand that when people hear that a Muslim General led a COUP to overthrow a Democratically elected, capitalist, Prime Minister, you are going to get people who expect the worst. <
If they hear that, then one should blame the MSM. But what sort of revelation is that?
> Now you and I know that this is a very, very different situation than someplace like Indonesia or even the Phillipines for that matter, but to be as dismissive and insulting as you were to these other posters was not only unnecessary, but may betray your own lack of cultural understanding. <
Let's drop the cultural sensitivity thing. Some of the other posters in this thread deserve words much sharper and much more dismissive than my limited literary prowess could ever allow.
> the very same thing you accuse people of in this thread <
OK, for the sake of comity, I'll confess to any sin you might wish to lay at my doorstep. Now let's get past the childish accusations and name calling, and let's just consider the best available evidence. In that case, I'm confident that you and I will have no disagreement.
The general wants to have a dialogue with the terrorists. What do the muslims want? Co-existence is BS, so what do they really want? Let's see. Everywhere else the muslims want to be in charge, shove their religion down everyone elses throats, and rule by islamic law. Are these islamic terrorists in Thailand wanting something different?
>Sorry "Buster" -- but he's not my King. I'm born in the good ole USA, of 100% southern, redneck, Scots-Irish stock.<
To be fair the King Of Thailand was born in the USA too! (No joke - google it!)
>On the other hand, I deeply respect how the King of Thailand has been a genuine force for good in his country for the past 60 years. Any knowledgeable observer will tell you that his calming and unifying influence has been the number one reason Thailand hasn't sunk into the chaos and poverty that describe its neighbors -- Laos, Burma and Cambodia. On top of his sincere and dedicated service to his country, which is universally admired by all Thais (just ask one!), the King is most assuredly pro-USA -- which certainly has helped the Kingdom to remain as our most important ally in southeast Asia.<
You are 100% correct!
The King has the best interests of Thailand and his people at heart.
This is really somewhat amazing to me that American conservative could possibly hold a KING in such high regard. Not only that, but they defend a coup!
___________________________________________________________
It sounds weird doesn't it?
But as they say here "This is Thailand". Thai logic works differently than Western logic.
I am in the country now and to be honest everyone is relieved that someone has taken responsibility for the whole political mess of the last 12 months.
The fact that the Army supports the King and the King has, tacitly, given his support to the situation means in Thai minds everything is fine - and they are right, everything is fine.
No riots, no fighting, everybody had a national holiday on Wednesday, went shopping and had a few beers. Then on Thursday everyone went back to work like nothing had happened.
This must have been the most peaceful military coup in 50 years! And there have been figures quoted of 85% of the population supporting it!
More to the point, he would be sitting in the emergency room of a hospital somewhere.
Please site your sources.
The former prime minister declared martial law and suspended the constitution prior to the coup. Sondhi didn't start this. You might want to get your facts straight.
It's a rational possibility. A reference to something that has been ongoing for a number of years, and now that oil prices provided them with much extra capital to invest, they have been doing it throughout the world.
It's not rocket science, nor is public, with the exception of Hamas, and Hizbolla, various groups in Iraq, and dozens more.
I believe your response was to say that Muslims in Thailand are moderates, and I let it go.......
As I am letting all of this go......
Much more interesting things going on. This event will be back in the news in it's own time. But it will be back. It will most certainly be back.
Thanks for correcting me, I don't mind it all.
Your assertions were that the Thai Government has ties with Iran. Please provide a source to back up your statement.
The Thai military, including Army under Sondhi, has very good relations with both Israel and the US and cross trains with both of them on a regular basis.
Thanks for the description of Rantel's interviews. I agree that this dynamic is as important as 'The Path to 09/11'.
BTW, the straw man crap about sources does not work with my assertion and how I presented it.
The source will be in the results of this coup as it plays out.
Personal assertions are what they are. Logic, common sense and recent history regarding Iran. If you don't think they have their hooks in Thailand, Google is your friend as to how deep they go, and recent efforts.
As you said yourself, the rest is my assertion.
This is from the article that this thread is about!!!!!!
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.
These bombings were nothing special. They used cell phones to set them off, the same as every other bombing in the south. The attacks leading up to Krue Se were much more sophisticated.
You still have yet to show a link between the Thai Government and Iran as you keep insinuating.
For example:,
How do you know that the following is not a reality. That a threat was made against the King and the people of Thailand by Islamic extremist's that the banks were just a warning shot and the next explosions would be much bigger, if they did not dissolve the democratic government and put this Muslim in charge! How do you know this did not happen?
It would explain the sudden desire to talk, the coup, and it fits with the tactics being used currently by the extremist groups.
My assertion is just that. You source me a assertion that it is not possible, or that Thailand has never made this sort of deal before when threatened.
Prove ME wrong!
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