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.
What is "the syle of Korben Dallas"?
WE had better take notice.
There are several real estate Web sites catering to Westerners which cover Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Easily found on Google, not necessarily up to date but representative from what I've heard from friends and acquaintances.
Problem is you have to have a Thai spouse to get freehold which you need for a single-family home, otherwise it's leasehold, meaning condoville. I suppose you could grow bananas and leechees on your balcony.
We have a 2,000 sqft house in VN on the Delta ($25K US), but have to keep it in sister 7's name because of Hanoi's deliberate incompetence in creating a national real estate registry or real estate laws that make any sense.
That happens when you steal half a country.
Since that is not happening it will not be a problem. Thank you for your concern.
The other option, although I am not too familiar with how it works, is a long term property lease. You lease a piece of land from someone for 40 years or so then do with it as you like including building a house. Of course, things revert to them at the end of the lease but if you are long gone, it doesn't matter.
Makes you stop and think, I heard on CNN the other day that Baruk Obama (sp?) is a 2008 prez hopeful for the Dems.
Why are you gald over this?
No, it has it's roots in those who fought in Malay against the British the same as JI in Indonesia has it's roots in those who fought against the Dutch. 'Forcible assimilation' has nothing to do with it.
Your words, and your tagline, speak volumes.
Yes, they do, I keep them in mind all the time.
When negotiating with Muslims, negotiate Muslim style. Offer them a copy of the Buddhist scriptures and the opportunity to convert. Then ... well, you know the rest.
Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. John 8:32
Not exactly a Muslin takeover, but the results may well be just that.
I'm betting there is a Iranian influence that made this possible. The U.S. had established a relationship with the Tai government and they were helping in the WOT. This cooperation is now jeopardized, and likely completely reversed.
There's the problem, right there.
I think the USA is in a pivotal struggle with the "third" world to win hearts and minds. I believe our blind eye policy with respect to immigration is part of this unspoken, State Department strategy. I believe the US is bringing in as many people as fast as possible to show them the light, as it were, and to change minds about how life should be lived. It's a basic as that. Barak Obama would dovetail perfectly with these State Department goals. He's also an apostate ex-muslim (we hope). Is it right? Is it wrong? Who the hell knows.
"The other option, although I am not too familiar with how it works, is a long term property lease"
Yeah, I've looked into that. You've described it properly. You need an underlying business entity to do it (and to hold the lease).
I'd rather enjoy the legal simplicity of a condo.
And if you want it straight from the horse's mouth, from a Thai national, not an ex-pat, I have this message from Pattya this morning. For what it's worth:
Last night, we were announced that our Commander in Chief announce the emergency situation and form a Political Reformation Group for our democracy system. As you may have heard that since early of this years, there are political unstable because the group of intellectual and media people that persistently distribute the information of the negative effect of having our prime minister keep on ruling the country and they all believe that the traditional democracy system will not able to change to a better way. The Thai Rak Thai Party has majority of the vote because of the campaign that fully benefits to the poor people which account for more than 60% of the country 's population. On the otherside, they disclose that the cabinet which fully control by our leader take advantage of the power they have had for their personal sake.
This sounds immaturity of democracy and instability of the country and economy. We do not expect any riot like the revolution back in 1992 and this will be a smooth Reform because they got support from people that expecting the change for months. Our constitution, paliament, and constitutional judge are dissolved immediately and we will have a temporary constitution that will be use to govern a new election. This REFORM group has no intention to control the country but will provide a pathway for a new election.
We are all safe and business go on as normal.
The Immigration Department is in the process of 'reforming' the immigration laws. They just got rid of the investment visa (3 million baht investment gets you a visa) and will probably be replacing it with something that might be more attractive. If I hear anything I will let you know.
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