Thaksin Vows To Nab Insurgents After Election

[george]

PM vows to nab insurgents after election

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today admitted that strict action against southern insurgents was being put on hold until after the 6 February general election, saying that arresting the militants prior to the election would make the government look as if it were acting out of spite.

The prime minister, who this morning convened a meeting on the southern insurgency which brought together the heads of the Southern Border Provinces Peace Building Command and the Royal Thai Army, police and intelligence chiefs, said that he had ordered stricter action on the southern security situation.

Speaking of the need for continuing arrests, he said that failure to take quick action could see lower-ranking militants attempt further violence as a way of wresting power from their commanders.

But while insisting that the government was monitoring the 90 insurgents on its blacklist, he said that more arrests at the present time would be inappropriate.

Any concerted crackdown prior to the general election on 6 February would make the government appear to be acting simply out of political spite, he said.

However, he confirmed that one of the 90 blacklisted insurgents was arrested last night on charges of shooting a local teacher.

--TNA 2005-01-20

[ovenman]

But while insisting that the government was monitoring the 90 insurgents on its blacklist, he said that more arrests at the present time would be inappropriate.

Any concerted crackdown prior to the general election on 6 February would make the government appear to be acting simply out of political spite, he said.

This is just more meaningless posturing. If it really were as simple as rounding up how ever many people are on this alleged blacklist, Mr Big would do it now. The vast majority of the Thai population would be eternally grateful and TRT would probably win those 400 parliamentary seats they covet.

[penzman]

What a wonderful idea!

Let these 80 blackisted people walk around shooting people and detonating bombs for a few more weeks .

What a <deleted>...

[sriracha john]

Actually, what he didn't say was the real reason for the delay is that they need to clean and wax those Tak Bai military trucks so that they can look good on camera for their next "load" of Southerners.

[stumonster]

I think his strategy is to wait till after he floats the price of diesel , then they will be too busy worrying about the price of food to attempt to fight, with the added bonus of them not being able to afford to travel anywhere