In southern Thailand the Sunni Islamic insurrection continues and given the fact that Buddhists are deemed to be infidels, then the situation is dire for the minority Buddhist community in southern Thailand.

In May this year you had yet another brutal attack whereby the followers of Islam were in rapture and reciting the Koran while beheading a Buddhist child and killing many family members. The web-link below shows the graphic reality of southern Thailand and how Buddhists are deemed to be subhuman and worthy of slaughter by the followers of Sunni Islam.

See the video here. Warning: this video is very disturbing because it shows a young child beheaded and another family member hanging.

link - http://www.aina.org/news/20110711192825.htm

This is VERY Graphic, and as Thai Related i am not too sure why this hasn't been brought up in the main ThaiVisa Section....... as this is happening on our own doorsteps.

PLEASE DO NOT CLICK THE VIDEO LINK if you are easily offended, but this was sickening, and being kept away from main stream media.

How can this still happen in the south? ... why are the government not trying better to stamp this violence out

This is not new. It was on the forum quite sometime ago. I read about it and I saw the video.

This is not new. It was on the forum quite sometime ago. I read about it and I saw the video.

It was in google news today, but it must be a writer bring up a story from May.... but it is truly shocking , and i can see why such Strong Warnings about the south

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

And this is a problem in itself.

The big majority of Thai muslims want to get on with life, make a better life.

As with other minorities they tend to look after each other. In Pattaya most of the motorbike rentals are muslims, making a fair living. But this inegration into the larger society does not suit the fundamentalists and fanatics.

They want everything done their way - otherwise they're 'agin it'.

Same applies in UK - many Indian, Pakistani, Jewish, Irish families have integrated, but all these groups have fanatic elements who see an erosion of the traditions and customs of their forefathers and assimilation into the amorphous society of the majority population.

Due to my weird family history I have relatives who are members of Irish, Jewish and Methodist fanatical groups - I really don't speak to any of my family except my daughter and her kids.

And if you are stuck in an area where these fanatics have some power, then you have to go along with them. This often leads to you starting to believe in their principles, or your kids do and you can't say anything.

Very difficult.

Send in the drones on these hateful fanatics!

The people who do such things are no more true Muslims than the nutters of Waco and Jonestown were true Christians, and I do not think we should dignify them by calling them such.

Any religion which has no central authority spawns such people. As a Catholic, I think the Reformation was much needed, but I deplore the fragmentation which it resulted in... which led to the extreme sects we all laugh at (when they don't make us cry). Islam does not have a central authority... so there is nobody to say what true Islam is. Many Muslims are wonderful people whom I cannot praise too highly.

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

And this is a problem in itself.

The big majority of Thai muslims want to get on with life, make a better life.

As with other minorities they tend to look after each other. In Pattaya most of the motorbike rentals are muslims, making a fair living. But this inegration into the larger society does not suit the fundamentalists and fanatics.

They want everything done their way - otherwise they're 'agin it'.

Same applies in UK - many Indian, Pakistani, Jewish, Irish families have integrated, but all these groups have fanatic elements who see an erosion of the traditions and customs of their forefathers and assimilation into the amorphous society of the majority population.

Due to my weird family history I have relatives who are members of Irish, Jewish and Methodist fanatical groups - I really don't speak to any of my family except my daughter and her kids.

And if you are stuck in an area where these fanatics have some power, then you have to go along with them. This often leads to you starting to believe in their principles, or your kids do and you can't say anything.

Very difficult.

Indeed HB.

One young man I met from Pattani told me, he was given three choices. Join and get paid, not join and get killed or leave. He left. Its a very sad situation and one in which mostly innocent people get caught in the middle, both Buddhist and Muslim.

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

Of course.

You only have to look at the content on the website that offers the video to realise that it is an all-out anti-Muslim propaganda site that caters to the gullible and the already hateful.

The article comes from the Modern Tokyo Times which is a general interest, on-line newspaper.

http://moderntokyotimes.com/

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

Of course.

You only have to look at the content on the website that offers the video to realise that it is an all-out anti-Muslim propaganda site that caters to the gullible and the already hateful.

Quite right. Peoples ( children's) heads fall every day.....Don't they ?

Couldn't possibly have occurred, or have been perpetrated by the religion of love and peace.................. Could it ?

Obviously staged...........That bloods ketchup and the poor folk probably lost their heads in a sneezing fit. It's been all made up by an anti-muslim conspiracy ...........Surely ?

How'm I doing there Harky......................?.....( running out of ideas to be honest)

The whole situation in Southern Thailand is odd, to say the least. The people committing the atrocities are separatists; they are Muslims and they speak a Malay dialect, not Thai. They resent the way the Bangkok government treats them, and would like to have more independence, but I don't think on the whole they want to join Malaysia, nor do most of them want an independence which would not be economically viable. I suppose some sort of local autonomy might suit them, but since they won't discuss it, it is difficult to see how that could come about. They spout Islamic terrorist ideas when they talk at all, which isn't often.; this "excuses" the atrocities.

It's very difficult to tell what they really want, and that in itself is the main part of the problem.

The whole situation in Southern Thailand is odd, to say the least. The people committing the atrocities are separatists; they are Muslims and they speak a Malay dialect, not Thai. They resent the way the Bangkok government treats them, and would like to have more independence, but I don't think on the whole they want to join Malaysia, nor do most of them want an independence which would not be economically viable. I suppose some sort of local autonomy might suit them, but since they won't discuss it, it is difficult to see how that could come about. They spout Islamic terrorist ideas when they talk at all, which isn't often.; this "excuses" the atrocities.

It's very difficult to tell what they really want, and that in itself is the main part of the problem.

I believe they still stand for the King in cinemas ?

I am sorry but this is extremely disingenous as they target Muslims just as much or even more than they do Buddhists. Anyone who disagrees is a target regardless of their religion

Of course.

You only have to look at the content on the website that offers the video to realise that it is an all-out anti-Muslim propaganda site that caters to the gullible and the already hateful.

Quite right. Peoples ( children's) heads fall every day.....Don't they ?

Couldn't possibly have occurred, or have been perpetrated by the religion of love and peace.................. Could it ?

Obviously staged...........That bloods ketchup and the poor folk probably lost their heads in a sneezing fit. It's been all made up by an anti-muslim conspiracy ...........Surely ?

How'm I doing there Harky......................?.....( running out of ideas to be honest)

No, no,no....you've got the wrong end of the stick (not you now too?).

I was agreeing with SBK The actual event was not neccessarily (and probably not) an act of Muslims in general, nor against Budhists in general.

To further that idea, I pointed out that the video was promoted by what is obviously an anti-Islam site.....this is all in consideration of the thread title.

The actual event was not neccessarily (and probably not) an act of Muslims in general, nor against Budhists in general.

To further that idea, I pointed out that the video was promoted by what is obviously an anti-Islam site.....this is all in consideration of the thread title.

But it is difficult also to say 'Muslims in general', Harky.

In Saudi there are quite large crowds after Friday noon-time prayers gathered to watch the head-choppings, hand/foot choppings, whippings and so on. Some are there because they feel it a religious duty, others for entertainment, yet others because they were told to be there by the Mutawwa (religious police).

In Libya there are no head-choppings, etc.

I heard of only a couple in the UAE. But in Saudi this is a weekly occurence.

I can't imagine it in Indonesia, although they do have firing squads. Similarly Malaysia has the death penalty, but I haven't seen any public punishments. They may be there, just not widely advertised for foreigners.

Muslims, like all groupings of human beings, come in a range of shades from white to black. Many have their religion as a part of their sub-concious cultural make-up, without any overt show of their beliefs. Others stand out - women in niqab, chador or burka in Western countries - saying 'look at me, I'm religious'. I exclude here the Malaysian / Indonesian women with their multi-colours of headscarf. That is a cultural thing that has become a habit, rather than a demand to be noticed. Same exclusion in the Middle East, where women must wear such items in their own countries. Then you have the fundamentalists in the Middle East, wearing their knee-length nightshirts, no fan-belt on their headscarf and a beard like Bin Ladin. Lastly there are the fanatics who want Islam to rule the whole world - it is the only true faith - and will kill everyone to get their way. Some of these one cannot identify, because they have morphed into ordinary citizens and strapped bomb belts on. Others are fundamentalists in dress and manner, but with a stronger purpose underneath their robes.

I could say the same about Christians, from the right-wing abortion-clinic bombers, through the cults of Jonestown and Waco, through the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Quaker, Dutch Reform, Huguenot and so many other sects, to the guy who puts 'Christian' in his passport, but only goes to church for 'hatch, match and despatch' services.

And then all the different Buddhist sects, with the very observant through to the non-observant.

No one religion, or non-religion if we look at humanists, et al., has the copyright on fanaticism or terrorism or bestial behaviour, but unfortunately it seems that in our age it is the Muslims who emphasise their whackos. We've all got 'em, but don't publicise them so much.

The actual event was not neccessarily (and probably not) an act of Muslims in general, nor against Budhists in general.

To further that idea, I pointed out that the video was promoted by what is obviously an anti-Islam site.....this is all in consideration of the thread title.

But it is difficult also to say 'Muslims in general', Harky.

In Saudi there are quite large crowds after Friday noon-time prayers gathered to watch the head-choppings, hand/foot choppings, whippings and so on. Some are there because they feel it a religious duty, others for entertainment, yet others because they were told to be there by the Mutawwa (religious police).

In Libya there are no head-choppings, etc.

I heard of only a couple in the UAE. But in Saudi this is a weekly occurence.

I can't imagine it in Indonesia, although they do have firing squads. Similarly Malaysia has the death penalty, but I haven't seen any public punishments. They may be there, just not widely advertised for foreigners.

Muslims, like all groupings of human beings, come in a range of shades from white to black. Many have their religion as a part of their sub-concious cultural make-up, without any overt show of their beliefs. Others stand out - women in niqab, chador or burka in Western countries - saying 'look at me, I'm religious'. I exclude here the Malaysian / Indonesian women with their multi-colours of headscarf. That is a cultural thing that has become a habit, rather than a demand to be noticed. Same exclusion in the Middle East, where women must wear such items in their own countries. Then you have the fundamentalists in the Middle East, wearing their knee-length nightshirts, no fan-belt on their headscarf and a beard like Bin Ladin. Lastly there are the fanatics who want Islam to rule the whole world - it is the only true faith - and will kill everyone to get their way. Some of these one cannot identify, because they have morphed into ordinary citizens and strapped bomb belts on. Others are fundamentalists in dress and manner, but with a stronger purpose underneath their robes.

I could say the same about Christians, from the right-wing abortion-clinic bombers, through the cults of Jonestown and Waco, through the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Quaker, Dutch Reform, Huguenot and so many other sects, to the guy who puts 'Christian' in his passport, but only goes to church for 'hatch, match and despatch' services.

And then all the different Buddhist sects, with the very observant through to the non-observant.

No one religion, or non-religion if we look at humanists, et al., has the copyright on fanaticism or terrorism or bestial behaviour, but unfortunately it seems that in our age it is the Muslims who emphasise their whackos. We've all got 'em, but don't publicise them so much.

It's not difficult to say "Muslims in general do not go around beheading Budhist boys", nor is it inaccurate. The inaccuracy is in the thread title, and on the website, which would have the reader believe that the beheading of Budhist boys is something that Muslims (implied: in general) do.

So Saudi beheads crims. That's their thing. I am sure there are some things we do in the West that Arabs would consider barbaric, uncultured, or uncivilised. From our perspective, we are right and civilised, from their perspective, they are. There is no universal moral code....morals are only a matter of opinion.

From our perspective, we are right and civilised, from their perspective, they are.

How accepting and open-minded. Cutting off journalist's heads is just how some people express their feelings.

From our perspective, we are right and civilised, from their perspective, they are.

How accepting and open-minded. Cutting off journalist's heads is just how some people express their feelings.

justifying the invasion of countries where a few hundred thousand or a million were killed based on blatant lies is how some people present their feelings.

It seems that the terrorist excuse league is still operating as usual.

Two wrongs don't make a right. Because 'they' are bad isn't a justification for 'us' being bad or vice versa.

The topic is fairly straightforward, please stick to it.

Further insulting posts which are obviously geared at other posters will be deleted.

My point was they aren't targeting only Buddhists and to make this out to be some kind of religious war against Buddhists is inaccurate.

We should be talking about separatists, not Muslims; that they happen to be Muslims is largely incidental (though some of the 'terrorists' will make the most of it). Similarly, the targets are not targets because they're Buddhists, but because they're considered to be on the Government side.(and the Government makes the most of that because it suits them to portray the problem as a largely religious one.)

We should be talking about separatists, not Muslims; that they happen to be Muslims is largely incidental (though some of the 'terrorists' will make the most of it). Similarly, the targets are not targets because they're Buddhists, but because they're considered to be on the Government side.(and the Government makes the most of that because it suits them to portray the problem as a largely religious one.)

I wonder what percentage of those killed by these "separtists" are Buddhist and what percentage are Muslim?

My point was they aren't targeting only Buddhists and to make this out to be some kind of religious war against Buddhists is inaccurate.

True it's muslims versus the rest.....................

We should be talking about separatists, not Muslims; that they happen to be Muslims is largely incidental (though some of the 'terrorists' will make the most of it). Similarly, the targets are not targets because they're Buddhists, but because they're considered to be on the Government side.(and the Government makes the most of that because it suits them to portray the problem as a largely religious one.)

I wonder what percentage of those killed by these "separtists" are Buddhist and what percentage are Muslim?

I think that's a misleading question. Of course the majority of those killed are Buddhists, because the Buddhists are Thai-speakers and perceived at least to be on the Government side. The primary divide is political; since it happens to coincide with the religious (and ethnic) divide, the separatists proclaim their devotion to Islam because it gains them support from Islamists in other parts of the world. And they hate Muslims who do not follow their political agenda, such as the Sec.-General of ASEAN (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember).

My point was they aren't targeting only Buddhists and to make this out to be some kind of religious war against Buddhists is inaccurate.

True it's muslims versus the rest.....................

Coming from someone who knows Muslims living in the South of Thailand? Has spoken to them personally? Or just an opinion based on what particular knowledge about this region and the people living in it?

My point was they aren't targeting only Buddhists and to make this out to be some kind of religious war against Buddhists is inaccurate.

True it's muslims versus the rest.....................

Coming from someone who knows Muslims living in the South of Thailand? Has spoken to them personally? Or just an opinion based on what particular knowledge about this region and the people living in it?

I do not know the Muslims living in the South of Thailand. Having said that, my 35 plus years of living and working in Iran, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and having up-front and personal experience in dealing with the Islamic religion urges me to support Suiging's comment that it is "Muslims versus the rest".

I would only add he could have added three words to make his statement a little more accurate. He might have said, "True it's Muslims versus the rest...of the world."

We should be talking about separatists, not Muslims; that they happen to be Muslims is largely incidental (though some of the 'terrorists' will make the most of it). Similarly, the targets are not targets because they're Buddhists, but because they're considered to be on the Government side.(and the Government makes the most of that because it suits them to portray the problem as a largely religious one.)

I wonder what percentage of those killed by these "separtists" are Buddhist and what percentage are Muslim?

I think that's a misleading question. Of course the majority of those killed are Buddhists, because the Buddhists are Thai-speakers and perceived at least to be on the Government side. The primary divide is political; since it happens to coincide with the religious (and ethnic) divide, the separatists proclaim their devotion to Islam because it gains them support from Islamists in other parts of the world. And they hate Muslims who do not follow their political agenda, such as the Sec.-General of ASEAN (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember).

I disagree that it is a misleading question. I doubt that ALL Thai Muslims want to separate fron Thailand as it's hard to get 100% of any population to agree on anything. Southern Thailand has a large Muslim population and if about half are for staying a part of Thailand then they should be targets as well. But if it turns out that 95% of those targeted by the separatists (who just so happen to be Muslim) are Buddhists, then obviously religion plays a big part in it. Especially when you take into consideration the difficulty Muslims have co-existing with other religions all around the world AND the fact that Muslims in othe3r countries show no problem whatsoever in killing fellow Muslims.

So, do you realize that the Muslims in Thailand are (except for this small group terrorizing the rest) actually quite relaxed? And generally very tolerant? or would you say all Christians are crazy because you read about Waco? Seems to me that an understanding that cultural differences play a huge role in how people view religion is something that seems utterly lacking among a few here.

My point was they aren't targeting only Buddhists and to make this out to be some kind of religious war against Buddhists is inaccurate.

True it's muslims versus the rest.....................

From a very particular perspective.