Islamists Warn Visitors Not To Visit Phuket

[Up2U]

hey yohan, you live down south right?

any hostility towards you from these fanatics?

No, he lives in Japan and pundits from there.

All they have there are Rape clubs, schoolgirls cutting each other's throats, Sarin gas and the like.

No muslim terrorists until they go to Iraq.

[Up2U]

The PULO organisation text was changed several times and your text is not correct anymore. It is pure propaganda to make foreigners worried. The new text is somewhat more polite.....asking tourists to choose a nearby country for vacation (Malaysia?)

There are other organisations too, not only PULO by the way.

Messages were given before the Bali bombing, but not considered as a priority.

You state further down that Indonesians do not have the same friendly approach to foreigners as Thais. Having worked in Indonesia for some considerable time, I disagree. In some areas of Jakarta there can be hostility - but as much to the wealth shown as to the race, religion or nationality of the person.

There is hostility to the Chinese minority (basically Christian, also Buddhist).Again this is against perceived wealth and suspected exploitation of the Malay majority. And is fanned by local politicians seeking to divert attention away from their own peccadiloes. The very poor are easily manipulated, no matter what their creed. Unfortunately Islam has a far greater proportion of very poor than other religions and does manipulate and exploit.

[Khun Larry]

BANGKOK — Muslim militants are warning the "people of the world" not to visit Phuket, a wealthy, tourist playground thus far untouched by the Muslim insurgency of southern Thailand.

Thanks for the warning. Will not bother me to pass on Phuket for a few years, maybe forever. The locals were very ungrateful for the business and rude as well. Patong is becomming a Pattaya of the south, a less friendly version. Food was not very good either.

[Dutchy]

The unusual, one-paragraph "message from Bersatu" said: "Dear people of the world, persons who plan to visit Thailand NOW are warned not to travel to Pattani Raya Region Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, Songkhla and the neighbor provinces [of] Phuket, Pangnga, Krabi, Pattalung. Pattani people are not responsible for anything [that] happens to you after this warning."

And then they argue that they're not Thai, they're very Thai, no responsibility, no accountability for their own actions. How much more Thai can it get....?

Dutchy

[Pi Sua]

Easy for the Thai Navy to check out between Krabi and Phuket.....

Like the police at checkpoints, if it's raining, they do not show up

Very difficult indeed. I've got more than 5,000 miles sailing in sea. Imagine only 3 or 4 meters waves and it becomes impossible for the navy ship, without colliding with, to reach any boats to search it.

Also think about the time needed to search one boat and the big amount of fishing boats, sailing boats, speed boats, cargo ship which cut across around Phuket, then let's count how many Thai Navy boats they've got to do all this search!

In case they find the right boat, what about throwing the whole thing in the deep water at the first approach of a Thai Navy ship and then get it back later ? I think they've got financial support for such operation.

Whatever, there might be already enough material in Phuket to confect many kind of artisanal bombs. Don't forget the gaz bottles, the nails.....

Anyway, not really an useful target for Thai Muslims....

Hit where it's the most painfull.....the wallet !

Not only Puket is a good target, there are also many other places like Ko Samui, Pattaya.....every place where there are a fair amount of foreigners.

Imagine a bombing in Puket or koh Samui, it's not only the tourism in this island that would be affected but the entire tourism in all Thailand and for years.

If they bomb a petrol platform, what woud the impact be ?

[Yohan]

You state further down that Indonesians do not have the same friendly approach to foreigners as Thais.  Having worked in Indonesia for some considerable time, I disagree. In some areas of Jakarta there can be hostility - but as much to the wealth shown as to the race, religion or nationality of the person.

There is hostility to the Chinese minority (basically Christian, also Buddhist).Again this is against perceived wealth and suspected exploitation of the Malay majority. And is fanned by local politicians seeking to divert attention away from their own peccadiloes. The very poor are easily manipulated, no matter what their creed. Unfortunately Islam has a far greater proportion of very poor than other religions and does manipulate and exploit.

This is what I wrote, and I do not see anything what is wrong....

Compare it with your own posting....sounds me even similar...

In Indonesia are over 200 million Moslems, and there is wide support of violence and criminality against foreigners, Indonesia was never open towards foreigners like Thailand.

In Thailand are about totally 3 million Moslems, and about 1.3 million are living in the Southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. - They do not have the wide support among the over 60 million Thai people. You cannot compare Bali and Phuket.

Indonesia was never really so open to foreigners as it is Thailand.... Compare the tourist regulations, compare the retirement visa regulations, try to buy your own condominium in Indonesia.. and compare the number of the foreigners visiting Thailand with those visiting Indonesia....

And do you intend to retire in Indonesia or Thailand? What do you prefer?

Johann

[sonthaya]

I'm still coming to Phuket, no f###### muslim terrorist is going to stop me from living my life the way I want. it can happen anywhere in the world.

[Yohan]

I'm still coming to Phuket, no f###### muslim terrorist is going to stop me from living my life the way I want. it can happen anywhere in the world.

You are right....

Realistic seen, there is always danger.... and not always it is the fault of the Moslems....

Airplane might crash, department-store or hotel might collapse, car might have an accident and catch fire...you cannot exclude any kind of danger...there might be a swimming accident, or an electric cable might be broken (posted somebody in Thaivisum....)

Go to Phuket...

Johann

[marto]

Their target are public schools, Buddhist temples, railway, postoffice, police, practically any government related organisation.

South Thailand situation is different from the international conflicts like Afghanistan or Iraq. South Thailand is a conflict of Islam with ThaiBuddhism, and not with Christianity.

Johann

Agree with your opinion.

But:

When muslims understand that atacking government related organisation doesnt take effect what do you think they will do? What you think - why they kill tourist in Egypt? Terorists's explanation - hit the tourism - one of the main budget items, there will be a crisis - and weak covernment...

The worst tnik is that I am not sure if Thai muslims know what they want. Own republic? Or to be Malays? Am sure if you ask a Malay muslim living near Thai border if he wants to be a Thai - he'll answer - yes.

Unfortunately - I'm little bit pessimistic... What was the epxplanation of this year bombs in Istanbul? Muslims killed muslims because they hadn't liked Brits and Americans... and Turkish government... Do you see any logic?

[marto]

just shoot anything that look like rebel muslim

Before they get tooled up can you tell us what they look like?

1. They carry AK47-s

2. They have long greysh beards.

3. From their left/right pocket stick up some wires.

4. They have for sure turbans.

5. When they meet each other they say Allah akkbar.

6. When they are in Izrael and look as above described they have been shot dead in seconds.

7. When they are in Izrael and haven't been shot dead CNN transmits live a blast.

[englishoak]

Right now I would think Phuket is very safe. I went there end of May and it was quiet I mean 90% empty of tourists and the season had ended.

If there is a risk I suspect it won't be until after the rainy season ends. It would be a waste of time for the terrorists.

But from August/September its open season again.

[sonthaya]

True the season starts, and I'll still be coming to Phuket, no terrorist is going to stop me from having a good time, you only live once

[Yohan]

If they bomb a petrol platform, what woud the impact be ?

If you read some newspapers of the last days, you will see, that what I posted, took place in Saudi Arabia itself.

Militant muslims are changing their strategy and new attacks are going in direction of interrupting petrol production.

To attack tourists, especially women, old people and children, who are not related to politics and even to kill Moslems, because they are also among tourists in Thailand, does not make sense in the eyes of many even radical minded Moslems...

It is a severe sin against the Koran to do that, and this is the opinion even of radical powerful Mullahs in Iran. Such actions might outlaw terrorist Muslim activities even in the eyes of Moslems, and even radical religious leaders will consider them to be nothing else but ordinary criminals. - They need to choose some other way.

However to attack commercial targets, which might cause a little number of victims, but will interrupt international petrol supply sounds great in the mind of many Islamic people....it is a good acceptable argument for them to promote the power of Islam.

Petrol supply is highly important for Europe and especially for the United States....

It is the true reason why Americans are now in Iraq to prevent that by occupying such strategic important areas with their own soldiers.

Johann

[Yohan]

the worst tnik is that I am not sure if Thai muslims know what they want. Own republic? Or to be Malays? Am sure if you ask a Malay muslim living near Thai border if he wants to be a Thai - he'll answer - yes.

1-

Moderate Thai Muslims are looking for more recognition of their problems in Southern Thailand - and expect more rights to administrate their area by themselves.

At this moment, there is no government employee in that region, who is not a Thai Buddhist and who is not sent by the Thai government from Central or Northern Thailand. Not so unusual, and this is not a problem for most Thai provinces, as the population is mostly ethnic Thai anyway....

But in the South, the last count showed 82 percent Moslems and ethnic Malays, followed by a group of up to 15 percent of Chinese (Malaysia, Kedah related), who also do not mix up with the Thai Chinese everywhere else in Thailand.

These people there do not want to accept the Thai Buddhists as their superiors.

2-

Thai Muslims are ethnic Malays and their native language is not Thai Many of them in the villages speak some Thai as second language, but do not know, how to write Thai.

3-

I never met a Thai Muslim during the last 30 years, who wants to be an ethnic Thai.

In the Thai Muslim view a true Thai Buddhist is a liar, a cheater, a lazy alcoholician.

Thai Buddhism is considered as a religion of violence, torture and atrocity, taking away their land and their freedom - they openly dislike the King of Thailand - Thai Muslims were forced by the Thai Buddhists to work for them as slaves - the last Thai Muslim slaves were released in Bangkok 1905.

4-

Own republic?

Most organisations hope for more understandings of the Buddhist Thais, who are over 60 Million people - in Thailand are only 3 million Moslems, about the half is living in the South - it is a small area....

Most Thai Moslems understand, that an own republic is not possible.....out of question.

The Thai occupied 1902 the South and removed and exiled the Sultan of Pattani, despite Pattani paid tributes to the Thai government in Bangkok for autonomy, which was almost like independence.

The last time Pattani was independent 1941-1945....in WWII, the Thai Muslims were fighting on the side of the British troops.

Johann

[Johpa]

Moderate Thai Muslims are looking for more recognition of their problems in Southern Thailand - and expect more rights to administrate their area by themselves.

At this moment, there is no government employee in that region, who is not a Thai Buddhist and who is not sent by the Thai government from Central or Northern Thailand. Not so unusual, and this is not a problem for most Thai provinces, as the population is mostly ethnic Thai anyway....

- Thai Muslims were forced by the Thai Buddhists to work for them as slaves - the last Thai Muslim slaves were released in Bangkok 1905.

Moderate Thai Lao are also looking for more recognition of their problems in Isaan. The Thai Muslims just don't get that their economic situation has nothing to do with their being Muslim or their being Malay speakers. And in fact, Thai Muslims down south get more out of the Central Bangkok government than do the Isaan folks. And in the media they get better treatment. Go to any Thai movie and the hired help, the servants, are still all portrayed as Isaan folk being bossed about by dysfunctional luuk kreung and Thai-Chinese.

As for the slavery issue, ######, all Thais were pretty much slaves until the end of the 19th century.

[Padkapow Guy]

I'm still coming to Phuket, no f###### muslim terrorist is going to stop me from living my life the way I want. it can happen anywhere in the world.

You are right....

Realistic seen, there is always danger.... and not always it is the fault of the Moslems....

Airplane might crash, department-store or hotel might collapse, car might have an accident and catch fire...you cannot exclude any kind of danger...there might be a swimming accident, or an electric cable might be broken (posted somebody in Thaivisum....)

Go to Phuket...

Johann

It could be the muslim crashed the airplane into the department store causing it to collapse on the car and starting it on fire. And the electric line from the store fall into the swimming pool and fry your arse.

root cause = muslims

Your right , they won't stop me from going to Phuket.

[wjta]

I'm moving to Phuket and don't feel the least bit worried about the warnings. Even if they attack Phuket, what percentage of the farang population do you think they could take out? In Bali, which was pretty spectacular, they got a few hundered out of millions of tourists that (used to) go there every year.

Even if the situation in Phuket is comparable to that in Bali before the blast (which it's not), the odds of getting blown up there are nothing compared to getting killed on an American highway.

I think the only hope for peace with Muslims is for people to start recognizing the good in Islam and actively promoting the moderates. If you read history, you'll see that most of our Western freedoms are the direct result of the confrontation between Islam and the Catholic Church. Without Mohammed, Weterners might still think the sun revolves around a flat earth and might still get locked in a dungeon (or burned at the stake) for publicly stating otherwise.

Mohammed was the most modern man of his day. His message either directly or indirectly freed the world from the stranglehold of priests. Unfortunately, Islamic societies in their turn became dominated by mullahs. That is incredibly ironic, but no more so than the merciless behavior of Christians, who claim to follow the great Semetic prophet of forgiveness and peace.

Today, Islam has been infiltrated by Wahabi fantatics, being funded and exported by the Saudis as a way of keeping their hold on Mecca and the oil fields. The Bush dynasty is starting one war of distraction after another while expunging anything from the record that might incriminate the Saudi royal family.

The real solution is to get all the Muslim teenagers away from fanatics and into co-ed university dorms with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Christians. And give everyone a good history lesson about how much blood has been shed in the name of religion.

[Khun Larry]

6. When they are in Izrael and look as above described they have been shot dead in seconds.

True, and one valid reason reason they hate Israel.

Israel is a terrorist nation and the US has foolishly supported them. Once again the US is on the wrong side of a war.