Mai Krap

quick route to jail.....

they just like to do it in other countries at the risk of being in indian or thai jails...

but the regular apple flavoured narghila tobacco stuff is very very popular now among teenagers (dont really know what the big attraction is...) the thought of inhaling the saliva of someone else... go figure...

and most cops here if they see a narghila in your car, assume that u must bbe doing more extreme things also UNLESS u are an arabic guy in which case it 'belongs'. if u look shanti rasta with a narghila, u will have more hassles... so i figure thailand must go along those lines also.... was just speculating

If you want to take a piss on Arabs and Muslim culture by all means go for it, please do not bother to mask it as your concern for tourist. I very much doubt if you sincerely have concerns over the exchange of spittle amongst tourist and it seems a little light in subject matter if one were to take on the topic of exchanging fluids in Thailand. Furthermore how many over smoked Arabs have ever spit their drinks into the face of Thai staff and ended up dead on the floor in a Sheesha restaurant? If one wishes to speculate I believe he would be better to speculate that Alcohol is more important to avoid than smoking tobacco of any flavor or packaging. While both can have long term health effects the morgue tends to have a chilling short term result for alcohol abusers here in the LOS "Land Of Sheesha!"

Comparing Shisha to drug use is just way off topic. Its about as close to saying cigarette smokers are opiate users and coffee drinkers are speed junkies. It is tobacco mixed with fruit and molasses, No there is no camel dung mixed in it but I would expect most Israelis would throw in a insult directed at Arabs any chance they get.

To directly answer the question, Shisha is illegal in Thailand, but so is prostitution and that never stopped anyone I know from getting a hooker. Currently there is a 1,000 baht fine per box but it is a fine used as a revenue for local police in order to sin tax Muslim businesses around Thailand. Up until a few years ago it was completely overlooked by the police until someone figured out that Halal food vendors being not involved with gambling, prostitution, nor alcohol sales were off there pay for play radar and were failing to provide weekly envelopes of Black Label fundage. This caused quite a outrage for a short time and then when someone figured out all the Shisha tobacco was being flown in from the Middle East for a mix of Arabs, Mercenaries, Expats and Foreign Correspondents all helll broke loose and Shisha was declared evil and outlawed once and for all according to all Thai legal documents as it is pure Middle Eastern Debauchery, Not Thai Culture.

This gets us back to reality, Today Shisha is still openly smoked in many places behind Soi 3 and around Bangkok. The places serving food are mostly good Egyptian and Persian restaurants. The little dives that sell beer and offer the pipes are mostly little Thai places and tend to be pretty sleazy after midnight. During the day and till 10pm its fine but late at night Soi 3 can be a dodgy area with a weird mix of the odd futball hooligan, lost drunks from Nana Plaza, Arabs, Persians, Africans, Expats, and kids who's parents work for the embassies that hang around since its close to the condos where they live.

The current situation is one where Thais who are known traders frequently flying back and forth to Dubai and were the main importers have pretty much given up on the business. They were getting hit hard at the airport and having their Shisha confiscated only to have the police resale it to the restaurants for 100% profit and there was a rumor that one restaurant refused to pay tea money and was ruffed up and heavily fined by the police, I'm pretty sure its a true story. There is a great Shisha shop in the duty free area of the airport at Dubai, thats where I get mine anyway. If you want to bring in 2 or 4 boxes for your personal use you should not have any hassle at all. For that matter if you want to open a shop selling it by the pipe the police will be more than happy as long as you pay a little every week. I have only heard of one misunderstanding and that took place at a very small Lebanese restaurant next to a police station on a resort island. The misunderstanding was cleared up with one phone call and since the smoking was more of personal nature and not a business venture because of the few customers the police just came by and enjoyed the occasional smoke and no tax ever changed hands, in the end everybody was happy, well at least till Lebanon got bombed in June 2006 but thats another story all together.

I'm happy to say that just tonight me and a friend from London had a good pipe of Mint Shisha as we sat on the porch and watched yet another Thai drink fest go off in the distance including full stage with dancers and singers. For those who live in Bangkok I wouldn't bother with anything but going out for smoke around town at a public place as its a very social event along with a good tea or coffee. Anyone who smokes up country, if you got it, smoke it, have no fear, the local police love the stuff.

More of the same in the south, Government troops and militias murdering Muslim youth with impunity. The standard lie from Chang Mai to Malaysia every time a bomb goes off in or near a mosque, Muslims were practicing making bombs and blew themselves up. Then you have the hate mongers on Thai Visa who raise helll every time you hear of some non Muslim getting killed but silence when teenage boys are shot down like dogs by men in uniform. The fact that anyone killed in the south has their murder blamed on super secret agent jihadist never seems to bother the investigators even when there is little if any evidence to suggest who or even why some non Muslims and even Muslims are being killed. The people of the south are not fools no matter how uneducated they might be, at some point those sitting on the sidelines will take a stand and god help us then. I for one fear it is to late to resolve now without much violence, there was a window of opportunity after the coup but that window is quickly closing. Until this very day I never considered the separation from Thailand of the three southern states a option but it may indeed be the only answer for a peaceful future. For now I watch the daily violence with dread, when will it end if ever?

The last few weeks have seen some worrying developments that are a cause for concern as they could drag the deep South further into turmoil. These incidents threaten to do away with whatever gains the state has made as far as reconciliation with the Malay-speaking South is concerned. Last Friday, a unit of 12 soldiers investigating arson attacks in Pattani's Ban Bana village shot and killed three unarmed teenagers who were playing tag near the weekly outdoor market.

At first, the official explanation was that the soldiers were returning fire in self-defence. The official explanation that these boys, aged 13-15, were in the line of fire quickly lost its credibility the following morning after police said they were treating the matter as manslaughter.

Hundreds of angry local residents merged on the street the following morning, shortly after burying the victims.

Security bigwigs - Pattani Governor Panu Uthairath, Colonel Wirawan Pathompark, deputy commander of the Internal Security Operation Command, and Pol Maj-General Korkiert Wongworachart, commander of the Pattani Provincial Police - quickly came together. They promised to carry out a thorough investigation and take appropriate measures if the conduct of the soldiers is deemed to have been negligent.

While the deal bought them more time with local residents, the same could not be said about the April 9 shooting death of four Muslim youths in Yala's Tambon Kern Banglang in Bannang Sata district. There, a heated exchange of words between a group of village defence volunteers and about 20 Muslim youths returning from a funeral turned bloody when the government-backed outfit responded with gunfire. Four young Muslim men died, and six were injured.

And instead of looking for ways to buy more time, Army spokesman Colonel Akara Thiproj concluded the next morning that the shooting of these young men was justifiable, because they were armed with rocks and sticks.

Besides questions of accountability and conduct, the official rules of engagement for these poorly trained government-backed village militia units have been brought under an unwanted spotlight.

About a month prior to the Kern Banglang incident, a group of rangers opened fire on and threw M79 grenades at a private Islamic boarding school in Yala's Ban Taseh. One student was killed and another injured while they were sleeping. At first, authorities denied the school had been attacked, saying instead that students who were practising making explosives had accidentally detonated a bomb. That official line quickly lost ground once it became clear that the government-backed militia group really had carried out the attack. A National Legislative Assembly committee was set up to investigate the incident, thus buying some breathing space for the authorities.

A similar promise was made after a group of rangers was accused of attacking another religious school in Songkhla's Saba Yoi district on March 17. Three students were killed and seven were injured.

Needless to say, these disturbing back-to-back incidents have raised questions about the decision to put these ill-trained outfits on the front line of this complicated conflict.

Victory will require much more than mere fire-power. As these recent incidents demonstrated, knee-jerk reactions by officials on the ground do not reflect the government's stated desire to move towards reconciliation with the Malay-speaking community through peaceful means. In order to maintain whatever gains the state has made in this struggle, the authorities will have to come clean about these disturbing and questionable incidents. This means conducting thorough investigations before mouthing off about whom to blame.

The incidents in Ban Taseh, Kern Banglang and Saba Yoi all have one thing in common: they lack official clarity and consistency. The more ambiguous the authority becomes, the more we are drifting back to the heavy-handedness of the previous government.

Needless to say, efforts at reconciliation will be doomed if the government is unable to convince the public that justice can prevail in these difficult circumstances. The current government came to power promising to make truth and justice its hallmarks. They will have to live up to this promise if peace and victory is to be achieved in this restive region.

Well my speed is back up. I called Bangkok multiple times and they somehow reset my box or hit their server with a hammer and it was working within minutes. It seems to me they are clueless but who cares as long as my internet works. As for anyone else I suggest calling Bangkok during normal business hours, If they answer you might get lucky.

The latest from some of the characters that wear uniforms in the deep south. It is common knowledge that anyone considered scum in uniform was dumped on the south for years as a form of punishment. I for one would like to hear the full story on this latest drama but I doubt if anyone will ever know what the real deal is.

Army anti-narcotics agent held after deadly shootout

The major wounded during a police drug bust in Bangkok is an Army anti-narcotics agent running an illicit drug syndicate in the strife-torn South, Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Adisorn Nonsee said yesterday.

Major Chanont Chinnawong and his alleged accomplices, Sukhum Juajaemjan and Withoon Niyakij, have been charged with possessing drugs with intent to sell, murder of an officer on duty, attempted murder of officers on duty and possession of firearms without a permit. This combination of offences carries the death penalty.

A gunfight on Wednesday night in the Living Room Apartments in Din Daeng district saw two detectives killed - Lance Corporal Sawai Arjnongwa, who died at the scene, and Sgt-Major Manoj Srilakhorn, who was pronounced dead after undergoing brain surgery.

Phanom La-orthae, a fourth suspect, was shot dead and found lying on the balcony of room 305 of the building. Lieutenant Sarit Aksorn, who took part in the bust, was wounded during the gunfight but is now out of intensive care.

The four police are part of an anti-narcotics team attached to the investigation subdivision under Metropolitan Police Division 1. The raid was carried out with the help of Din Daeng police.

Adisorn said Chanont had long trafficked drugs in Pattani and neighbouring Yala and Narathiwat provinces, capitalising on his expertise and status as a military narcotics suppression officer.

Chanont was familiar with the three provinces and always talked himself out of vehicle searches at police checkpoints every time he was pulled over, Adisorn said.

Supreme Commander General Bunsrang Niampradit said a military investigation had been ordered into Chanont's dealings and he would face both disciplinary and criminal punishment if found guilty.

Chanont is now under heavy police guard in Police General Hospital.

this is perfect example why i dont have any muslim friends.

Your last image though is rather telling - Special Warfare Command soldiers (with the red berets) giving a haircut to kids in one of their hearts and minds operations. Note the soldier in the back (with helmet) giving back up in case of an attack.

He might have been giving back up, or he just wanted to be in the picture, or he was on his way to grab some lunch, or he was just looking at his friend cutting the kid's hair. Yeah, it's pretty telling.

Easy for you to say while you sit on your arse in America protected by the police with my tax dollars and while we Americans fend for ourselves in your beloved homeland that cannot support you. If somebody offed you tonight there would be a big investigation but when a American gets murdered here its good old "Mai Pen Rai, Farang!" Personally I don't even think your Thai, maybe just some old foolish troll who likes to stir the pot?

These people are not human.

They are animals.

They should be hunted to extinction.

buddhists are a peace loving people with a wonderful religion that they follow, and these muslims down there are killing them. in the most horrific way.

where's this going. ?

you having a laugh right thai buddist peace loving. not the ones in Samui. Muslim relegion is also a peacefull religion. good and bad in all religions

well, at least they dont go around burning and killing people because they arn't buddist's and thats my point.

Terry - you are very wrong there.

The Tak Bai massacre was done by the Thai state (mostly Buddhist) against Muslim demonstrators. The Buddhist army officers responsible for the terrible decision to stack people on lorries that caused the death of 80 something are still free. There is a long history of oppression, and there is a long list of Muslims who have disappeared without trace during the last years, and are suspected to have been made disappear by the authorities. The lawyer Somchai is the most famous one. High ranking Buddhist police officers are directly implicated.

There were already cases of Buddhist villagers having committed retaliation attacks for the murdered Buddhists against innocent Muslims.

Not many seem interested in the true reality of the current situation. Few even took notice that the army and police have used Buddhist Wats for the firearms training of Buddhist civilians. We continue to hear the constant moan from those who want justice, those who bitch about the local Muslims not taking a stand against terrorism but in the cases where the Buddhist Military and Police used terrorist tactics against unarmed civilians not one single case has reached any level of justice. When Somchai was defending those who were falsely arrested in his capacity as a lawyer instead of letting the case go to trial the police decided to kidnap, torture, and murder the lawyer for the defendants. I have to laugh when I hear those who love freedom cry for justice when all they really desire is tyranny.

tot ipstar has been shitt for days, I had some <deleted> on the phone for a hour today and his conclusion is that my dish must be readjusted. When I asked when they could send someone over they had no answer. Being a holiday I doubt if it will be for a week or more. When I signed up for ipstar I knew someday it would go to shitt and that day seems to have arrived. They are not capable of making a decent sandwich so the fact I had good speed for one year is a mystery.

The youtube thing is not helping matters and by them blocking sites they could be unintentionally throttling the internet speeds. I sometimes wonder how much spam is clogging the internet in Bangkok, It has to be a large percentage, That and ignorant dumbing down games being played online.

Oh well, I will post if I ever get any speed or stability,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Offline, and waiting, Which will come first, helll freezing over or Thailand proving it is a technology hub?

PCN says he was pissing in public - mototaxi lads told him stop - he got abusive and then he got beaten down by them.

Maybe it would be better to recycle plastic waste into new plastic product which would lessen the need for new petroleum for the production of plastics.

Or heres a brainstorm, stop giving away plastic bags with every single one baht purchase in Thailand. Straws are another huge waste along with serving drinks in plastic bags. Look at all the trash and rubbish piled up everywhere from the waste of plastic, its a disgrace! While its true the plastic bag was not invented in Thailand I have never seen it used so creatively nor wastefully.

Time for my second bag of popcorn, You guys keep typing. By the way, has there been one more relevant fact revealed since it was found out he spit his drink in a Thai dudes face which is basically asking to be killed? The more important the Thai saw himself the more violent the reaction would be so the end result is telling a story in itself. I predict what will happen is some Joe Khao will step up and take the heat for a payment to his family while he does a little time to make the story go away. The odds of the actual murderer ever even being arrested is low but for him to face the music if he is a VIP? That ain't happening, not now, not ever. I'm just kicking back waiting on the Thai/Lao version of the Sopranos to make it on TV, we already had one Thai beat down on "Lost" a couple episodes back. Is life imitating art or is art imitating what some Hollywood producer saw on holiday in the LOS?

Thai zoo keepers artificially inseminated a female panda on Monday after her male partner failed to perform despite video "panda porn" aimed at teaching him how to impregnate her, officials said.

Chuang Chuang, the male at Chiang Mai Zoo, 700 km (435 miles) north of Bangkok, would rather play than mate and Lin Hui had to be inseminated artificially because her annual three-day fertile period was due to end on Tuesday.

"We let them stay together last night, but Chuang Chuang was having fun teasing his partner while Lin Hui was sexually ready," Sophon Dumnui, head of the state body which supervises the zoo, told reporters.

"Although we have shown him the how-to-mate video several times, Chuang Chuang is probably a little bit too young to mate. His sex organ is too small and short," Sophon said.

He is six and experts say the male pandas are usually ready to mate at seven, he said.

Ever since the pair was "married" in a Chinese ceremony two years ago, Chuang Chuang's sex life has become a matter of public concern.

Zookeepers have put him on a diet to avoid crushing his partner and have made him watch other pandas mating to get him in the mood.

The pair, on loan from China and a major draw at the zoo, have shown little inclination to consummate their union despite being kept in separate enclosures since December in hopes it would make them lust after each other.

China used the video technique with its pandas, which are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity, and succeeded in producing a cub.

Panda experts will inseminate Lin Hui again on Tuesday and freeze the last portion of Chuang Chuang's semen for future use, panda project chief Prasertsak Boontragulpoontawee said.

"Three months from now, we will know if the conception is successful," Prasertsak said.

Excuse me while I run over to the store and get a box of microwave popcorn, Made in America. This has all the makings of a major drama, dead Israeli, Politicians son, drunk night in a Thai bar? The second post already suggesting the Israelis will or should take the law into their own hands. This scenario has gone down many times in Thailand but this will be the first time I know of a Israeli being murdered here. For many of us its our worst nightmare, to bleed out in the back of some truck or on the floor of some filthy bar.

The sad fact is people are murdered here every day, some justifiable, such as cases of self defense and other times it is just predatory violent murder. This is just anther day in the life but reality dictates otherwise, some people do believe the life of one human has more value than the life of another, I expect we will be hearing from them.

ha!!!!!!HA!!!!!ha!!!!!! ANOTHER ONE for the APRIL 1 joke!

Unfortunately this is a true story and no April fools joke. It is rather unfortunate timing to post about but true just the same, it happened to people I know. I left off the names and places just to protect my source as they don't want any further dealings with this latest group of entrepreneurs. So again, this is not a joke!

In the last week there have been several bars and Internet shops raided for copyright law infractions. What has happened is a group of authorities shows up and then checks for bogus copies of Windows XP. If found the shops are then fined on the spot 50,000 baht to be paid in cash. The same group has been going to bars and checking for any copied music and giving a 25,000 baht fine.

Somehow I believe there is more of this to come, more fines, more fees, more obscure laws that are impossible to sort. It seems that in the past few months its just one thing after another but I'm sure all the latest money collected is on the up and up and will be deposited directly into the account of Bill Gates.

My god these threads are a bore, the same old grouchy know it alls with there superior attitude from sorting some visa across a ocean where it is as easy as a single stamp. May I suggest if you have your visa sorted please restrain yourself from comment about any who do not, either be helpful or shut your $#%$# %$#%$ #%$ #%$#%$#! Unplugging your keyboard would also be a nice option.

If I see one more guy type "Get Out of Thailand!" or "Go Home!" My next visa will be with a work permit because I'm going to get a job at the Thai Post Office!

Either somebody in Thailand will take decisive measures to take complete military control over provinces, interrupt money supply from wahabists, close Universities and religious schools controlled and funded by wahabists, or deep South will go along the Chechen route with clear ramifications for the rest of Thailand.

how right you are! it is a well known fact that the Wahhabis financed Hitler, the japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and of course they are responsible that global warming will sooner or later flood Bangla Desh and southern Florida. not yet proven (but that's only a matter of time) is that Wahhabis generate tsunamis.

Currently the wahabist are opening terrorist tattoo schools in Cuba, they want to make sure all the Che Guerra tattoos are 100% correct before they Jihad. Chavez and Castro have been paid off and now want to supply them with nukes if they will finance a few madrases schools in Spanish language and promise to use Cuban flags with Arabic writing on them when they take over the world. Lil Kim in Korea will not let then out do him and has promised to help open Korean Barbq kiosks to support the Jihad. In exchange for much needed cash and refuge Osama Bin Laden has now declared pork halal in Korea both north and south, this will speed up unification. These actions were taken to undermine George Bush's credibility, He who until this current set of dramas had a spotless track record and was well on his way to making Bill Clinton look like a inbred hillbilly goat humper, something GB could never be accused of?

There is a very active Black and White photography club in Thailand but there is hardly any English spoken among the group. I see a few members here and there for coffee and chit chat. Me and a few western photographers get together in Bangkok sometimes for coffee and small talk but it is not any kind of photography club nor formal in any way. Its more of a small group of friends exchanging travel notes since we all have different ideas about imagery.

If anyone is interested in Black and White Photography in film or digital just send me a PM with a e-mail.

Culture minister, others assail plan to assist Aids hospice by auctioning prints of famous people posing in the buff

The abbot of a Lop Buri temple that serves as an Aids hospice said yesterday he would refuse any proceeds from a controversial auction of nud_e celebrity photos planned by an entertainment magazine.

Abbot Prah Alongkut made a brief statement, saying he was informed only that morning that Fame magazine wanted to raise funds to support the temple's work by taking bids for centrefold photos of some leading actresses and that he was disturbed by the damaging publicity that the charity project had generated.

However, it was not certain what kind of further controversy the abbot's rejection would create, as it is against Buddhist principles to turn down donations.

Penpak Sirikul, one of the models, insisted that her intentions were well-meant. "I don't have any hidden agenda."

"People are born naked," she said. "This is the art of women's beauty."

She also lashed out at critics of the project, asking them what they have done for the cause. She defended the project, saying this was the quickest way to raise money and get it to Aids victims.

She dismissed suggestions that posing in the buff would set an example for the younger generation to emulate, saying they can think for themselves.

"Not all people are stupid."

The undertaking brought some 30 models and celebrities to take nud_e pictures to be featured at the Fame Erotica exhibition open to the public from April 5-9 at CentralWorld.

The one-metre-square nud_e pictures are scheduled to be put up for bidding to raise funds for Aids patients at Lop Buri's Phrabath Namphu Temple and Nonthaburi's Bamraj Naradoon Hospital.

It's not known if the Nonthaburi hospital would feel the same way about the project as the temple.

Culture Minister Khunying Khaisri Sri-aroon called the project inappropriate, as some photos and poses were provocative. She urged the celebrities to use their fame in other merit-making methods.

Khaisri said she understood the models' and celebrities' wishes to act for a charitable cause, raising money for Aids patients, but the approach of taking nud_e pictures - some reportedly struck suggestive poses as in pin-up calendars - was not proper.

The celebrities already had the public glued to their every move, she said, and should find another way to raise funds.

Prisana Pongtadsirikul, secretary-general of the National Culture Commission, said that being charity-minded was good but their deeds should also be responsible to the whole society. She said the ministry had been trying to promote polite and traditional Thai-style clothing ahead of the Thai New Year festival, so she would prefer these public figures to set good examples for youths nationwide.

She said that they should have chosen other fund-raising activities and asked why the celebrities did not take photos with their clothes on or wear Thai clothing instead. She also suspected that this move might be driven by commercial interests or was a PR stunt for the participants to gain more publicity.

Ladda Tangsupachai, director of the Culture Watch Centre, said she understood the good intentions of the organiser and celebrities but they might lack cultural understanding that merit-making money should be earned from decent methods and sources. She also expressed concern that the affair might confuse young people who have been criticised for wearing revealing clothes.

Ladda also said that the case was discussed at a meeting of the committee for safe and constructive media, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham, and committee members just shook their heads in disagreement with such a "benefit".

Former senator Rabiebrat Pongpanit, president of the Happy Family Association, slammed the models and celebrities for resorting to taking their clothes off for a good cause, which would create a bad example for Thai youths.

Rabiebrat said that she felt hurt that the famous people used charity as an excuse to stoop to this behaviour. She said they should have done something else.

"The monks [at Phrabath Namphu Temple] must feel uncomfortable to accept donated money from this, but being Buddhist monks taught not to be choosy in merit-taking, he would have to take it. This charity project is not a good example. They don't seem to think things through," she said while urging the Culture Ministry to act upon it.

Venerable Phramaha Samai Jintakosako from the Saeng Thian Foundation said that, while helping Aids patients was great merit, taking nud_e pictures was inappropriate and against Thai culture and tradition. He said this even put Phrabath Namphu Temple in a negative light because the money came from an activity against good tradition and thus was "ungraceful" and a bad example. He urged the project participants not to jeopardise the good image of Buddhist monks who devoted themselves to caring for Aids patients. He expressed concern that if this could not be stopped, someone might produce nud_e VCDs to raise funds for charity in the future.

Things aren't always as black and white as some would have you to believe.

Link to article in the Nation

Mai Krap

I find it hard to tell wether you are genuinely concerned about the the spin being put on the problems in the south by the likes of analyst Dr. Abuza and others, or are you just another yellow belly apologist for the Islamists in Pattani!

You offer much to debate, but really all you end up doing is confusing the issue by clouding disparate problems, and like the islamists you try to make one problem seem to be something else. Your anti-spin of the situation in Pattani seems to come from some innate sense that only you are right and no one outside of the area could possibly see things more clearly and objectively than you yourself. I can't say this is a very wise stand to take, as it often is the case that an objective view is needed more than a "gut" view from those such as yourself. It is all too easy to become entrenched in local everday life to see above the troubles and the effect they have.

I can see from way over here in the UK, that the troubles in Pattani are not getting any better, but they most definitely are polarising, and thay are doing so across religious divides. This is about Islamism. Nothing else...

Islamic factions have had very great success in getting what they want through violence over the past 60 years, and they have learned to be vigilant and never ceasing in moving towards what it is they want, a total Islamic state. Violence in Islam has become an acceptable tool, it has become accepted as the will of god, why else would these Islamists be on such a ludicrous quest.?

If you cannot accept that this violence has it's root in Islam and that a peaceful outcome to this without massive counter violence on the part of the Thai government is possible, then you severely misunderstand the iron will of these Islamists in their determination to bring about the changes they want to impose on all those in the area.

You said it all when you said you were in the UK. I am in all likelihood the leading American expert on Islam in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. I have spent more time with these people than any other westerner including a 2 year investigation into the so called Cambodian/Thailand Terrorist Connection which I concluded was total bull Shitt. For most who remember, shortly after Hambali was arrested in Ayutthaya there was a crackdown on Muslims in Cambodia sponsored and financed by the good people who brought us the Vietnam War. Many Muslim teachers were rounded up and deported and the shells of what were once schools are now just another desperate promise shattered by office workers who in far away climate controlled environments have tried and convicted men they have never met and did what Ronald Reagen would have never done. That is supply the Hun Sen government with millions of dollars to victimize the Chams who survived both Henry Kissinger's illegal carpet bombing and the genocidal maniac Brother Number One.

Ronald Reagen did spend untold millions keeping the Khmer Rouge in power though for one reason, his belief that the enemy of my enemy is my friend which is far from taking the moral high ground, the direction I try to stay in within these musings. The Muslims of Central Thailand only want peace in the South and a little sense of justice concerning disappeared Muslims like Somchai who is the most well known case. However the Southern Muslims have been pushed over the line and no longer support the government as it exists there now. While there is much sympathy throughout the Muslims communities I can assure you the Muslims I know are busy working 16 or more hours a day to put food into the mouths of their children when they are not praying and have no time for such luxury as war which is reserved for politicians, their bean counters, and pawns until they manipulate the situation to the point that food is disrupted. Thats when things get interesting or like we say back home, "Get to the nut cutting", Have a nice day.

Mai Krap,

First of all, it makes no sense to cite credentials in the envornment, where it is impossible to verify them. Secondly,

even if we accept your credentials, can you also claim that you are leading expert on JI, rebelion on Mindanao, Chechen republic, Kashmire, Al Qaeda and various wahabist movements etc etc . If you are, I am all ears. If not,

well, a lot of what you are saying makes sense historically but the situation on the ground in Thailand changed drastically during last several years. There is a lot of information available in open publications about these changes. You seem to completely ignore it. Here are some very obvious examples: how typical would it be for traditional muslims in deep South to boycott Israeli and American goods? Wear JI outfits ? Behead innocent buddist monks? Set up Al-Qaeda stile simaltaneous attacks? Promote wahabist ideology through the University funded and staffed by Saudi Arabia? I can go on and on...

Somehow does not either fit your scheme or your qualifications...

You can believe me or take a piss on me, either way I'm not bothered. Since I'm not a paid writer here on this forum I'm under no obligation to provide anyone with credentials. I just made a few comments because I was referred to as a possible yellow bellied apologist, which is not what I see when I look in the mirror.

I like the way you and others suggest that I may be unqualified to comment about a subject I deal with on a daily basis about people who I know well here in Thailand then you go all international and Salafi "wahabi"are devils on us. Let me ask you this? Why would any Thai Muslim buy anything from Israel or America? Would you actually know the difference between say a Salaf or a Sufi if you met them on the street? I rather doubt it, Do you know any of these people? Have you ever been to their homes? Met their wives? Know their children by name? Have any idea what they are about? Or do you as Dr. Abuza comment from one side of the fence having never even entered the no mans land you established in your mind, beyond which lay only evil, evil which may exist only in your head.

This entire situation is a ongoing tragedy but one that nobody in power "Government" tried to put the brakes on when you could see the wreck coming from a mile away. What will be the end result? Im not sure but I believe the situation will only get worse unless you bring some people to account on the government side and that just ain't going to happen.

Why don't they make Karaoke Bars close at 10pm and turn off all their lights? How about ending these all night parties where the whole village is lit up like the sun and music plays all night so very loudly? Another place they could start is these government offices in the middle of nowhere with millions of lights lighting up nothing for nobody all night long. Ive noticed a few cities that instead of putting up cost saving practical lighting prefer to spend their money on impractical fancy electricity wasting ornamental lighting so the poor barefoot kids and pregnant mothers of the next generation of peasants can stare into them like deer in the headlights. Sorry, I'm not buying the latest bullshitt, I had my feel when they started in on closing shopping venues early being to simple to understand traffic patterns and fuel costs, or more likely having a agenda that is not in the best interest of Joe Khao "The common man."

This is about Islamism. Nothing else...

Separatism. For ages they've been fighting for the Kingdom of Pattani.

When you say "nothing else" you deny their nationalism. Islam is a big part of it, of course, but there's also a claim to the land, they also have their separate language and their own traditions, and their own version of history.

They don't want to be Malaysians, btw.

I'm sorry but I think you are wrong!!

Why did the insurgents kick off after almost 200 years of relative peace and stability??Why.. because of the likes of Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.

The excuse is the separatism, the reality is Islamism.

Don't be fooled by any other rhetoric.

Things aren't always as black and white as some would have you to believe.

Link to article in the Nation

Mai Krap

I find it hard to tell wether you are genuinely concerned about the the spin being put on the problems in the south by the likes of analyst Dr. Abuza and others, or are you just another yellow belly apologist for the Islamists in Pattani!

You offer much to debate, but really all you end up doing is confusing the issue by clouding disparate problems, and like the islamists you try to make one problem seem to be something else. Your anti-spin of the situation in Pattani seems to come from some innate sense that only you are right and no one outside of the area could possibly see things more clearly and objectively than you yourself. I can't say this is a very wise stand to take, as it often is the case that an objective view is needed more than a "gut" view from those such as yourself. It is all too easy to become entrenched in local everday life to see above the troubles and the effect they have.

I can see from way over here in the UK, that the troubles in Pattani are not getting any better, but they most definitely are polarising, and thay are doing so across religious divides. This is about Islamism. Nothing else...

Islamic factions have had very great success in getting what they want through violence over the past 60 years, and they have learned to be vigilant and never ceasing in moving towards what it is they want, a total Islamic state. Violence in Islam has become an acceptable tool, it has become accepted as the will of god, why else would these Islamists be on such a ludicrous quest.?

If you cannot accept that this violence has it's root in Islam and that a peaceful outcome to this without massive counter violence on the part of the Thai government is possible, then you severely misunderstand the iron will of these Islamists in their determination to bring about the changes they want to impose on all those in the area.

You said it all when you said you were in the UK. I am in all likelihood the leading American expert on Islam in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. I have spent more time with these people than any other westerner including a 2 year investigation into the so called Cambodian/Thailand Terrorist Connection which I concluded was total bull Shitt. For most who remember, shortly after Hambali was arrested in Ayutthaya there was a crackdown on Muslims in Cambodia sponsored and financed by the good people who brought us the Vietnam War. Many Muslim teachers were rounded up and deported and the shells of what were once schools are now just another desperate promise shattered by office workers who in far away climate controlled environments have tried and convicted men they have never met and did what Ronald Reagen would have never done. That is supply the Hun Sen government with millions of dollars to victimize the Chams who survived both Henry Kissinger's illegal carpet bombing and the genocidal maniac Brother Number One.

Ronald Reagen did spend untold millions keeping the Khmer Rouge in power though for one reason, his belief that the enemy of my enemy is my friend which is far from taking the moral high ground, the direction I try to stay in within these musings. The Muslims of Central Thailand only want peace in the South and a little sense of justice concerning disappeared Muslims like Somchai who is the most well known case. However the Southern Muslims have been pushed over the line and no longer support the government as it exists there now. While there is much sympathy throughout the Muslims communities I can assure you the Muslims I know are busy working 16 or more hours a day to put food into the mouths of their children when they are not praying and have no time for such luxury as war which is reserved for politicians, their bean counters, and pawns until they manipulate the situation to the point that food is disrupted. Thats when things get interesting or like we say back home, "Get to the nut cutting", Have a nice day.