We perhaps ought to remember the history of these provinces and how Thai Civil law came to be imposed?

And we might consider just how 'just and fairly applied' Thai civil law has been in these provinces.

This is a Thai issue, nothing to do with foriegners and we ought to be mindful of the fact that the roots of the problems in the South are linked directly to 'Foreign interference'.

I'm sure the Thais, Muslim and non Muslim can work this out and that the rabid rantings of Islamophobic westerners are of no use at all.

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Well said GH.

But the thought of abandoning the 50% of the population who will suffer most under sharia (most women though some men as well)to patriarchal mad mullahs and their murderous henchmen still floods my stomach with despair and my heart with sadness.

Saw a brilliant film recently called "Citzizen Juling", in Thai with Engl. subtitles. 3 ½ hours of interviews with southerners in the village where she (a teacher from the north) was murdered. They were all deeply distressed and had loved and admired her, and they were spliced with interviews with her family. Made with a human rights campaigner who sits in the Thai Senate. It also included interviews and footage of the Tak Bai or Cru See tribunal, her final days in hospital coma, doctors, visitors etc.

What struck me most was a) it painted a totally human and conciliatory picture of the south unlike any I've ever seen. I still have no desire to go there, but it made the whole issue much more human and opened a wide window on the region. The kicking around of this football for a century now affects REAL people.

And I'll not forget the southern girls who spoke eagerly to the camera about their love of going to school and learning, who then piped down and became uncomfortable and subdued as male watchers came along to monitor the interview from the side. Pure evil.

Nor can I forget c) the northern family of Juling who are a model of Thai compassion and forgiveness – who also made the journey south during the film.

The problem is not only with Islam. Anyone who thinks a Catholic (or Protestant) theocracy would be any better just has to look at what they do wherever they still manage to gain untrammeled power – such as the Taliban who terrorized the kids' homes in Ireland (though does anyone think madrassa orphanages in North-West Frontier province are likely to be any different?)

mmmhhh ... finger trouble ...

WHat was the name of that country back then? I can't find anything about it. I'm not a Thailand expert but my blood is boiling. I'm sick of muslims and their small minded ideology. Every country in the world has problems with muslims, how long are we going to take their bullcrap? Instead of bending for those bunch of muslim imbeciles, the government could take military action, spineless pussies.

The whole world is in conflict with muslims and it has to end today.

WHat was the name of that country back then? I can't find anything about it. I'm not a Thailand expert but my blood is boiling. I'm sick of muslims and their small minded ideology. Every country in the world has problems with muslims, how long are we going to take their bullcrap? Instead of bending for those bunch of muslim imbeciles, the government could take military action, spineless pussies.

The whole world is in conflict with muslims and it has to end today.

Having fun?