Army Chief Says Thailand Facing 3,000 Militants, Urges Public To Not Panic

[seminomadic]

Just make the south autonomous and let them govern themselves and then if they want to leave the kingdom so be it.They were independent up until 1901. The south is ungovernable as the people look south rather than to Bangkok. They are in fact Malay. Let Thailand take over the Karen area in Burma who are ethnically and linguistically similar.

Extremely naive. I'm glad you're not the leader of my country.

[geriatrickid]

Sounds like your grip is way too tight. I asked a question, did not make a statement. But I think it's simple logic to assess the different ways Thaksin/Yingluck have dealt with the south, and Abhisit did. So are you saying that the three different PM's dealt with the south the same?

Similar. You can go back even further and the same approach is used. Attempts to reconcile, rebuffed, heavy handed response, more nice words, more violence etc. With all due respect to the involved parties, the politicians in charge of the south have come from police or military backgrounds. They recycle the same failed strategies. They have to decide what they are going to do.

[geriatrickid]

Just make the south autonomous and let them govern themselves and then if they want to leave the kingdom so be it.They were independent up until 1901. The south is ungovernable as the people look south rather than to Bangkok. They are in fact Malay. Let Thailand take over the Karen area in Burma who are ethnically and linguistically similar.

Extremely naive. I'm glad you're not the leader of my country.

LOL, Burma will just hand over the land, right.

And Thailand will just hand over the land, right,

[timewilltell]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

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Not that different from the Irish who resented the English really. Such things cause problems be the people Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or most other religions. Don't think the Buddhists are so bloodthirsty maybe because politics just doesn't interest them.

I think religion has probably served its purpose in its present form for it has long been just a way for the religious hierarchy to control people. In Thailand the government is seeking to replace that role since the Buddhist religion doesn't really fill it. Bring on free wi Fi in schools and cheap disposable tablets to play games and Facebook on - great ideas

[giddyup]

One of the problems, and not just for Thailand, is that Muslims refuse to assimilate. You only have to look at the terrible mess France, Germany, Belgium and the UK have with large Muslim populations. Muslims aren't prepared to adapt to Western culture when they emigrate, they expect their new home to adapt and change to their ways. In other words, revert to the oppressive, impoverished country they came from.

[belg]

give back the stolen land? no ? what would you do if you suddenly declared another country ? see israel and palestine

problem will never be solved

to these people pay any taxes anyway ? what is the value of the part of the country that belonged to malay ?

[muratremix]

Look at Germany, they have taken over their country by working hard and using diplomacy. Not by killing civilians and innocent people by means of terrorism. Islamic intolerance and cruelty is getting more intense all over the world. How long THAI people will tolerate this?

Muslims in South Thailand is no different than WAHABI muslims in Saudi Arabia and Chechenia in my opinion (They believe they have right to kill anybody who isn`t a wahabi).

[Colin Yai]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

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If the Palestine's get their own home land will this stop?

As far as I am aware there is no such Country as Palestine or indeed a people called Palestinians , and in closing just what do you regard as 'their homeland "?? Edited April 3, 2012 by Colin Yai

[ianf]

] Agree.....I advise posters to Youtube Tak Bai Massacre.......the officer in charge of that mess needs to be brought to justice.

Although I do not dispute the need for a proper inquiry, the fact remains that the military will not allow it. This is also the same military that overthrew multiple elected governments including that of Thaksin and which will one day warmly welcome him back as Thailand's prodigal son.

Prodigal son? Don't give me that. Perhaps 'undemocratic dictator in waiting' would be a more apt description. I am sure some posters here live in an Orwellian world!

[Cats4ever]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

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Malaysia - the country that the people in the south rightly belong to. This was prevented by a shabby deal between Britain & Thailand in the heyday of empires.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Cats4ever

[ianf]

There are a lot more than 3000 militants. We have to include the dupes in the red shirt movement willin to wage civil war when the time is ripe. Perhaps another 150,000.

I must have missed that one, i heard about the southern militants but where was the news about a civil war?

You have misread my post. Sorry, the 'g' was missed off 'willing'. Read again.

[TomTom55]

There is way way way too much generalizing and 'putting people into boxes' going on in this thread. "Muslims are all this" "Buddhists act like this", that is just a narrow minded and ignorant way to view the world and the people living in it. I have known people from both religions across the world from East to West, and to label each person as a Buddhist or a Muslim who all seem to act in a similar fashion is really quite ignorant. Each person has a personality, a set of morals and are not the same when you scratch just a little beneath the surface. Yes you will find certain traits in some people within the same culture, but that cannot be said for every person who is related to that faith.

[Jerrytheyoung]

First the root of the conflicts are coming from the 70's when Bangkok has decided to centralised the 3 sultanates, which until this time were beneficiary of certain autonomy. Bangkok has implemented its own administration, replacing the traditional local ones (and getting out of work local influent family).

To be noticed that those 3 sultanates have never been part of Malaysia

To be noticed (some are confusing that Malay is a race and Malaysian are citizens of Malaysia- Malaysia citizens are 60% of Malays, 30% of Chinese and 10% of others- particularly Indians)

The horrible massacre of Tak Bai has reshuffle a conflict which was on the extinction path.

Religions have nothing to do initially with the reasons of the conflict, but some separatists play with that in order to enlarge their support to all Muslims. We should not be trapped.

Religion issues should be kept aside, and westerners should make the difference between moderate sunni muslims, (the vast majority), chiites and extremists. We have known such antagonisms and bloody conflicts between Christians, and centuries have been necessary for cooling the fires and reaching a relative peaceful maturity (unfortunately still some resurgences from time to time). Because in our history, we have known analog periods to what is happening here, we should take some altitudes and work for cooling the minds on both sides. Enough blood and lost lifes, we have to work in order it ends.

The solution is through negotiations and discussions with good will people from both sides: the Malay community and the Thai Administration/ Government. As farangs, observers of what is happening, indirectly involved by our in law families, it is our duty to try to cool down the minds and pull everybody on a reasonable track and not to participate to the excitation.

My 3 cents

[giddyup]

There is way way way too much generalizing and 'putting people into boxes' going on in this thread. "Muslims are all this" "Buddhists act like this", that is just a narrow minded and ignorant way to view the world and the people living in it. I have known people from both religions across the world from East to West, and to label each person as a Buddhist or a Muslim who all seem to act in a similar fashion is really quite ignorant. Each person has a personality, a set of morals and are not the same when you scratch just a little beneath the surface. Yes you will find certain traits in some people within the same culture, but that cannot be said for every person who is related to that faith.

The problem is, very few Muslims are prepared to voice outrage at the atrocities comitted by the radicals in their midst. They seem quite happy to turn a blind eye to the horrors carried out in the name of Allah.

"In order for evil to flourish, all that is required is for good men to do nothing."

Edited April 3, 2012 by giddyup

[Payboy]

There are about 300 of leader rank, 3,000 operators and about 10,000 supporters," the general said

Dropping some figures off-the-cuff like that makes him appear well informed, I guess.

[bigbamboo]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

Uhhh, not that I disagree with you, but do you understand that the civilian government has little or no say in military matters.

If any government, PTP or Democrat attempted what you suggest, there would be another military coup.

Didn't Thaksin appoint his own cousin to Supreme Commander of the Thai Armed Forces?

[Thai at Heart]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

Uhhh, not that I disagree with you, but do you understand that the civilian government has little or no say in military matters.

If any government, PTP or Democrat attempted what you suggest, there would be another military coup.

Didn't Thaksin appoint his own cousin to Supreme Commander of the Thai Armed Forces?

And look how far that got him?

[gand]

Members of the organizations that sanctions these terrorist acts have no honor.

[Celticabdullah]

a bad action is like throwing a stone in a pond,the ripples spread causing a storm.a good action is the same.whoever throws stones should think for themselves that they to r in the pond and subject to the storm

[NoshowJones]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Any country with a minority of Muslims, be careful, or we will end up like the UK wkere it's only a matter of time before they take over, the most common Christian name in the UK is Mohammed already.

[Ricardo]

The problem is, very few Muslims are prepared to voice outrage at the atrocities comitted by the radicals in their midst. They seem quite happy to turn a blind eye to the horrors carried out in the name of Allah.

"In order for evil to flourish, all that is required is for good men to do nothing."

Perhaps they feel too threatened, by Muslim terrorists or Thai death-squads, to speak out ?

[theanimaster]

The government won't do anything unless it involves (wait for it) MONEY. In this case, they just might -- since it may start affecting tourism.

Otherwise, unless there's any billions or perhaps even millions to be made by the military or the government (the two are independent businesses, mind you) then they're not going to waste any money or troops getting down to bottom of this.

Hat Yai was just the insurgents testing the government's reaction. If the government trips over itself when trying to put in a serious effort, then they'll know they can attack Bangkok in order to persuade the gov't into handing over the south. Otherwise, the insurgents don't want to rack up too much government hate -- i.e.: they don't want to wake the full force of the military... because the Thai military might just decide to wipe them out.

As it is, it's just tit-for-tat. No one's going to push too far unless there's serious money involved -- ESPECIALLY the government. The insurgents are winning though -- little by little, they are gaining intelligence on the capacity of the military.

For those of you who think the Thai military/government is plain incompetent, then you've been had all along. This is all just a nice big stage show to make you THINK they are. If everyone thinks the government/military is run by imbecilic baboons, think again -- these imbecilic baboons have trillions of baht and they didn't get that being stupid.

So again -- the government won't flinch... won't blink an eye nor twitch a muscle. They're going to let the cannon fodder in the south take all the crap -- why should they do anything when it's not them? MPs aren't being killed. Civilians are. "Too bad for them." thinks the government. As long as politicians aren't being targeted and tourists aren't flocking in droves, just make a little media statement to say you're going to do something and forget it the next day. THAT is Thailand.

[geriatrickid]

theanimaster' have you considered the reason that there have been no attacks in Bangkok is due to the inability of the terror groups to mount such attacks? Maybe the past governments have been lucky, maybe they have been effective or maybe the insurgents undertook what they knew they could accomplish. Before 9-11, there had been a car bomb set off in the WTC by terrorists affiliated with the 9-11 murderers. It took many years to pull off. The recent southern attacks may be a sign of things to come. This might be the warm up act.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[bigbamboo]

There is way way way too much generalizing and 'putting people into boxes' going on in this thread. "Muslims are all this" "Buddhists act like this", that is just a narrow minded and ignorant way to view the world and the people living in it. I have known people from both religions across the world from East to West, and to label each person as a Buddhist or a Muslim who all seem to act in a similar fashion is really quite ignorant. Each person has a personality, a set of morals and are not the same when you scratch just a little beneath the surface. Yes you will find certain traits in some people within the same culture, but that cannot be said for every person who is related to that faith.

I guess the common perception isn't helped by the fact whilst 'muslim bombers' are all over the place (sometimes literally) when did you last hear of a buddhist bomber?

[hellodolly]

"Muslims value life."

Unfortunately, there have been too many terrorist attacks throughout the world in recent years or that one to be true.

You don't get it do you. A muslim sees another muslim killed in Iraq so he blows up the London Underground. Death stinks as much by any other name. That's how they see it. And that's why we have these problems. A Westerner sees killing as OK if done by the army - Tak Bai massacre. A muslim sees this killing as wrong. Different view point. Bali bombings seekiing revenge for Western nations starting war with Iraq etc etc. We may not agree with it but this is their reasoning. So conclusion - don't go to Phuket, don't go to Pattaya, don't go to Bali. Go anywhere where there are very few tourists, Satun, Trang, Ranong etc. I was nearly blown to smitherines, missed by 5 minutes, I would be charred remains now. Feel like an imbecile to think I was hanging around prime tourist spots when over 5 thousand killed and 15,000 maimed. Farang - stay away from prime tourist spots until the South finds peace.

You still don't get it do you. If you want to travel and be safe don't go where there are Muslims.

Why you continue to back them so vehemently tells me you are in all lily hood a extremist.

Where are there not Muslims? There are Muslims all over Thailand. 60% of the people on Phuket are Muslim. Just keep away from tourist spots and the deep South. That is the recipe for safety here. No I am a communist from Broken Hill Australia where you are brought up to believe any killing is wrong. It is Western nations that justify their killings in the name of the civilized. Where in fact they are savages. It's something you mister will have to live with the rest of your life by condoning these murders of Muslims. To quote Shakespeare, "You have blood on your hands"

Unlike you extremists I do not condone murder for any reason.

Your problem is your Koran only takes in the old testament where it says an eye for a eye. You ignore the new testament because it will not condone your actions. It says love thy neighbor as thy self. Are you considering suicide?

It is only in your mind that Thailand is the only place to travel to. Like Ann Landers said if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.

[philw]

There is way way way too much generalizing and 'putting people into boxes' going on in this thread. "Muslims are all this" "Buddhists act like this", that is just a narrow minded and ignorant way to view the world and the people living in it. I have known people from both religions across the world from East to West, and to label each person as a Buddhist or a Muslim who all seem to act in a similar fashion is really quite ignorant. Each person has a personality, a set of morals and are not the same when you scratch just a little beneath the surface. Yes you will find certain traits in some people within the same culture, but that cannot be said for every person who is related to that faith.

The problem is, very few Muslims are prepared to voice outrage at the atrocities comitted by the radicals in their midst. They seem quite happy to turn a blind eye to the horrors carried out in the name of Allah.

"In order for evil to flourish, all that is required is for good men to do nothing."

Do you personally know any muslims ?

Eat , drink and chat with them perhaps ?

I call you on your inane and destructive generalisation.

[hellodolly]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

Sadly wherever you get Christians in great numbers you get war and oppression.

Sadly wherever you get Europeans in great numbers you get war and oppression.

Sadly wherever you get oppression in great numbers you get war...

Sadly....

Unfortunately it really dosen't take a great number of Muslims.

And the big difference is Muslims are doing it out of religious beliefs not because there is a lot of them. They are living like there ancestors did trying to rule the world by any means they can. If it had not been for Genghis Khan they would be ruling the world now.

Edited April 3, 2012 by hellodolly

[ttelise]

First of- I help train that army and no! Thailand does not have the largest army in the world, Once again some one with out Military knowledge speaking with un-educated mind- At least look it up on the Internet. The Thai Military is not up to the task because of people like Charlem trying to be friends with every country. The Muslims in the south is a big problem because all the other Muslim countries like Malaysia and even the Middle East are bound by religion and culture to help a fellow Muslim even if they do not like that person or people. The South is getting logistical and financial support from other Muslim Cultures to fight their war.

Private Military Companies will be fighting more wars in the future and if ran properly and with the the Government can be successful- case in point with the NON-AMERICAN company called Executive Outcome, Once again an idiot made a previous commit referring to the Vietnam war and how Vietnam kick the United States Butt, when in fact we lost that war because of our own internal politics. we were not allowed to win that war, And to add to that one of the largest nations in the world was helping- But as would the U.S help out one of our Allies.

reliably sourced entries.

http://en.wikipedia....umber_of_troops

Flag State Active Reserve Paramilitary Total Total per 1000 capita

Active per 1000 capita

United States of America^[181][182] 1,458,219 1,458,500 11,035 2,927,754 9.3 4.7

Thailand^{[166][note t]} 305,860 245,000 113,700 664,560 10.1 4.6

Nuff said

Once again Ignorance is Bliss for you too my friend- First of all Thailand does not have a large Army the U.S does with Russia and North Korea- Our General are more skilled and in more quantity-Second I help train the Royal Thai Army on several occasions. There are a lot of issues of issues with the Thai Government that will make them fail with the insurance and to boot that Iran and other Muslim Nations are lending assistance as they are bound by there culture. I also believe that you are talking out your ass about Vietnam war, First of that was was lost because our chicken shit pot smoking liberal politicians at he time would not allow us to win. It was an internal issue and there our real information on that- All we had to Nuke them like we Japan- would that satisfy you then?

I am a decorated war veteran and was a skilled operator for with 10 years of combat until my accident- what do you have besides a liberal ass America hating opinion? I will be in Thailand in June, why not meet up and allow me to give you my opinion personally- Hooah!!.

PTSD? Your argung with yourself. Thai army using someone in this state of mind for training? Therein would lie a problem uf true. Meet up and what, break a hip. Better off chasing bar girls and telling war stories. Hate to say it, but a lot of public's disenfranchising with Vietnam war came as the direct result of our actions there and due to heavy losses in battles such as Tet or just to take over a hill.

The actions of our military where similar to that seen in Tak Bai. Fear and adrenal evokes actions and responses directly proportional to the level of fear encountered. I guess one could blame press for reporting, but one still must accept responsibility for their own actions. Aweful war brought out worst of human nature on both sides.

[geriatrickid]

Seems that most of the bombs originate from Christian America..............

Let's deal with southern Thailand, shall we?

No bombs from America, buddhists, jews, catholics, hindus, presbyterians, folks wearing magical under garments, bahai's, pentecostal holy rollers,wiccans, druids, the British Royal Family, Freemasons or students at Mahidol.

The only people that have been consistently setting off bombs intended to terrorize the civilian population for the past decade espouse a specific religious affiliation. And it is an affiliation that they wish to force upon everyone living in the region by way of religious affiliated schools, religion specific laws, and a religious based way of life.