Thailand On The Right Path, Southerners Believe

[webfact]

Thailand on the right path, southerners believe

By Don Pathan

The Nation

Residents in the violence plagued southernmost provinces are becoming more optimistic about the direction Thailand is taking, a recent survey conducted by the Asia Foundation revealed.

According to the survey of 750 residents in the restive region, at least 46 per cent said they believed the country was moving in the right direction, compared to 31 per cent last year.

The "Democracy and Conflict in Southern Thailand: A Survey of the Thai electorate in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani " report released yesterday showed that an improving economy played a major role in the assessment.

"When asked what Thailand's biggest problem was, 60 per cent of the respondents in last year's national survey pointed to the economy compared to 23 per cent of southerners this year," a press release from the foundation said.

As for the ongoing insurgency, 37 per cent of the residents said the main reason was the officials' "failure to understand the local population" in the deep South, while about 56 per cent believed that self governance would help resolve the situation. About 69 per cent of the respondents on the national front and 67 per cent in the South saw decentralisation as a more effective form of governance.

The survey results were announced at a recent seminar, during which Chulalongkorn University's Assoc Prof Chanthana Banpasirichote reminded the audience that trust between state agencies and the local population, especially among the Malayspeaking people, was still very high.

While the survey indicated that most local residents in the restive region valued democratic principles, they also acknowledged the role of money politics and vote buying, Chanthana said.

She added that the study confirmed that people in the deep South did not feel they belonged in the political sense.

Senator Worawit Baru of Pattani said the study showed that southerners wanted to see more of a PattaniMalay cultural identity, adding that more than 95 per cent of the locals supported the idea of having public signs written in both Thai and Jawee - Malay in Arabic text.

"All over the world, from Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom and Malaysia, you see signs in English and the local language. Thailand can't move beyond the notion that the state knows best, in order to allow local participation on issues such as local cultural identity," Worawit said.

Unfortunately, he said, local identity in the Malayspeaking South has always been associated with a challenge to Thailand's nationhood.

-- The Nation 2010-12-17

[brahmburgers]

Surveys are a step in the right direction, however, not more than a baby step. True dialog is what's really needed - backed by gov't funding for programs that really help the situation. If the head honchos in Bkk allocated 5% of what they spend on Bkk and their own percs (Flying to Europe 1st class for fun) or 2% of what they allocate to the military (for blimps that don't fly and aircraft carriers that don't work) to the southern Thai regions, it would help a lot. Relationships took a nose dive in the early 00's during T's blunt and blundering reign as PM.

Best early steps would be a sustained series of 'town hall meetings' between all concerned. Without such programs, the idea of 'us and them' will perpetuate.

BTW, what PATH is Thailand taking right now? It appears to be doing a whole lot of nothing.

[phetaroi]

That the majority of the people do not feel things are going in the right direction, I'd question the "headline" of the OP.

[asiawatcher]

Yes, my Thai family are all from the South and in no way does their community agree with this article. They live in constant fear.

[dave_boo]

Surveys are a step in the right direction, however, not more than a baby step. True dialog is what's really needed - backed by gov't funding for programs that really help the situation. If the head honchos in Bkk allocated 5% of what they spend on Bkk and their own percs (Flying to Europe 1st class for fun) or 2% of what they allocate to the military (for blimps that don't fly and aircraft carriers that don't work) to the southern Thai regions, it would help a lot. Relationships took a nose dive in the early 00's during T's blunt and blundering reign as PM.

Best early steps would be a sustained series of 'town hall meetings' between all concerned. Without such programs, the idea of 'us and them' will perpetuate.

BTW, what PATH is Thailand taking right now? It appears to be doing a whole lot of nothing.

You answered your own question with the next sentence. Providing jizya to supremacists who do not blink an eye over the brutal murders of old rubber farmers, blowing up of schools, etc is exactly what the 'separatists' want.

[Northman061]

Is a survey of 750 people a large enough group to be able to say it is the "voice" of the Southern Thai people?

[Buchholz]

what they allocate to the military (for blimps that don't fly and aircraft carriers that don't work) to the southern Thai regions, it would help a lot. Relationships took a nose dive in the early 00's during T's blunt and blundering reign as PM.

Speaking of aircraft carriers and the South...

RELIEF OPERATIONS

Navy's big ships join flood rescue operations

The Navy yesterday deployed its aircraft carrier and an amphibious landing ship to help flood victims in the South.

[Buchholz]

That the majority of the people do not feel things are going in the right direction, I'd question the "headline" of the OP.

Speaking of people's feelings in all areas of the country...

PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has become a stronger leader this year compared to last year, according to a survey conducted by Assumption University.

More than 70 per cent of those questioned in the Abac poll said Mr Abhisit's leadership has grown stronger this year.

[jayboy]

The Navy yesterday deployed its aircraft carrier and an amphibious landing ship to help flood victims in the South.

Good to see that that monstrously expensive, unjustified, absurd and vainglorious aircraft carrier purchase being applied to some useful purpose.

Still if the cost (and the corrupt pockets it helped fill) had been applied to disaster relief decades of funding would have been available.

How the Spaniards must have laughed behind closed doors at the useless Thai tossers responsible for military procurement

Edited December 17, 2010 by jayboy

[brahmburgers]

Turn the aircraft carrier in to a skateboard park and the blimp in to a tourist sightseeing float.

[jayjay0]

Well for what it is worth I have to agree they are on the right path. A recent article pointed to the fact that 30,000 of the soliders deployed in the south were working with the civilian population.

As for the survey. What a load of crap. They must have hand picked the ones to survey. Democracey has nothing o do with it. What they want is Sharia law. (sorry about the spelling)

What could have possessed the surveyors to think they so different than any other Muslim territory.

[Roadman]

That the majority of the people do not feel things are going in the right direction, I'd question the "headline" of the OP.

Speaking of people's feelings in all areas of the country...

PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has become a stronger leader this year compared to last year, according to a survey conducted by Assumption University.

More than 70 per cent of those questioned in the Abac poll said Mr Abhisit's leadership has grown stronger this year.

Music to the ears. Even better if he could find that same confidence of support in the puppeteer's and grow to a Dem majority. If he can win that then I think all of Thailand will prosper.

[phetaroi]

That the majority of the people do not feel things are going in the right direction, I'd question the "headline" of the OP.

Speaking of people's feelings in all areas of the country...

PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has become a stronger leader this year compared to last year, according to a survey conducted by Assumption University.

More than 70 per cent of those questioned in the Abac poll said Mr Abhisit's leadership has grown stronger this year.

Ok...I won't argue with your comment...but how exactly does it respond to what I wrote?

[phetaroi]

Well for what it is worth I have to agree they are on the right path. A recent article pointed to the fact that 30,000 of the soliders deployed in the south were working with the civilian population.

As for the survey. What a load of crap. They must have hand picked the ones to survey. Democracey has nothing o do with it. What they want is Sharia law. (sorry about the spelling)

What could have possessed the surveyors to think they so different than any other Muslim territory.

Is Sharia law one of the formal demands?

[jayjay0]

Well for what it is worth I have to agree they are on the right path. A recent article pointed to the fact that 30,000 of the soliders deployed in the south were working with the civilian population.

As for the survey. What a load of crap. They must have hand picked the ones to survey. Democracy has nothing o do with it. What they want is Sharia law. (sorry about the spelling)

What could have possessed the surveyors to think they so different than any other Muslim territory.

Is Sharia law one of the formal demands?

I am not sure of what there demands are.

But it is never far from the mind of a Muslim Terrorist. And in many cases the average peace loving Muslim in the street favors it.