Too Far Away For A New Government To Really Care?: Thai Opinion

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EDITORIAL

Too far away for a new government to really care?

The Nation

Initial moves and talk have done nothing to suggest positive change looms in far South

A couple of weeks ago in New York at the annual UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul expressed condolences to the Malaysian premier about the four Malaysian tourists killed recently by bombs in Sungai Kolok.

He said Thailand and Malaysia would work together for peace in Thailand's southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. His Malaysian counterpart Anifah bin Haji Aman said the problem was an internal Thai matter but Malaysia stood ready to cooperate.

As long as anybody could remember, ever since the ongoing insurgency flared up in the Malay-speaking far South, the two governments have been more or less saying the same thing - that they are going to cooperate on these security concerns because they want to see peace. But then again, what else can they say?

When it comes to the deep South, as the recent past has shown, one wrong note could upset Thai-Malaysia bilateral ties.

In September 2005, former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra went crazy and began to condemn the UN refugee agency for talking to 131 Narathiwat villagers who fled to northern Malaysia. He was too afraid to criticise Kuala Lumpur for fear of nasty retaliation, so he went after the UN for doing their job, accusing the agency of interference and "permitting itself to be used".

Thaksin also took Asean to its knees, threatening to walk out of an Asean summit if any Muslim country raised the Tak Bai massacre - because it was our "internal problem".

Funny, we seem to remember Thailand signing an international convention, somewhere, vowing to respect the lives and views of our own citizens, especially if they are unarmed. Perhaps gunning protesters down in broad daylight, or stacked them in the back of military trucks, one on top the other - killing 86 of them in the process - was not a serious problem.

Yingluck will be visiting Malaysia soon. Statements similar like that made in New York can be expected.

But if Surapong is to be taken seriously when he says Thailand and Malaysia - or any foreign countries and organisations for that matter - would cooperate on the south, we could see a significant shift in terms of attitude towards the region. Ever since the late 1960s when the armed separatist movement emerged in the Malay-speaking South, Thailand has never agreed on what role foreign governments and organisations can or should played. Surapong could just be blowing hot air.

Administration needs to get its house in order

But before Thailand let Malaysia or anybody in on anything, this administration has to first get its house in order. Let’s not forget that nearly 5,000 Thai nationals have died form the ongoing violence but the attitude towards the deep South is still very appalling.

Yingluck, during her campaign to the deep South, said she would grant this Malay-speaking region autonomy if her Pheu Thai Party come into power. Well, they did win an overwhelm mandate to govern, but decided to renege on their campaign promise.

Once again, the feelings of people in the far South is taken for granted. To add salt to the wound, party bigwig, Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, has reported to have said that victims from the Krue Se stand-off in April 2004, and the Tak Bai massacre, should not be entitled to any compensation money - only the yellow and red shirt protesters allegedly killed by government troops last year.

But if mainstream Thai society cannot empathise with the suffering of Malay Muslims in the deep South, what can we expect of this government, which continues to treat them as

second class people. Sadly, Thailand doesn't have a policy for the Malay-speaking South. We have an attitude, and it's a bad one - indifference.

If government officials actually cared what Malay Muslims in the deep South thought or felt, they would have not talked about appointing the likes of Thawee Sodsong or Panlop Pinmanee to this restive region, where they are not exactly well liked because of past activities in the region.

But Pheu Thai Party lackeys need to be compensated for their fine work during the campaign and the services they rendered to their real master, Thaksin. With an attitude like that, one wonders when a Thai government and mainstream society will give the conflict in the deep South due consideration.

-- The Nation 2011-10-10

[scorecard]

"...But Pheu Thai Party lackeys need to be compensated for their fine work during the campaign and the services they rendered to their real master, Thaksin..."

And we continue to have totally unqualified, inexperience, and incapable people heading ministries, advising ministers, occupying the permanent head positions, etc etc. Plus incapable police buying seniors positions, nor professionalism, no performance base.

Not a recipe for success.

[OzMick]

So Surapong didn't ask about a visa for Thaksin then?