Malaysia 'is Not Involved' In Violence In Thailand's Far South

[webfact]

Malaysia 'is not involved'

The Nation

YALA: -- Malaysia was not involved in violence in the far South despite its flag being hoisted during a series of insurgent attacks in the region last week, Ogosalim bin Omar, deputy secretary of Malaysia's National Security Council, said yesterday.

Ogosalim and Brigadier-General Zulkapri bin Rahamat, commander of the 6th Brigade in Sarawak state, met with their Thai counterparts led by Colonel Rungroj Toungpao, deputy chief of Yala Task Force, at a boundary checkpoint in Bannang Sata district to inspect the boundary jointly and discuss cooperation on security.

During the meeting Ogosalim said Malaysia and Thailand had had good relations for long time. There were regular meetings and joint inspections of border areas to create better understanding between military and security agencies on both sides.

Commander Zulkapri said Malaysian officials expressed regret over the attacks last Friday in more than 100 sites in the mainly Muslim part of Thailand, where insurgents raised the Malaysian flag to challenge Thai authority.

The Malaysian military stepped up security measures to control the border tightly right after the incident, he said. Malaysia and its people were not involved in the incident, and Malaysia will fully cooperate with Thailand to restore peace in the region, he said.

Meanwhile a roadside bomb injured five patrolling soldiers, two seriously, on a pickup yesterday afternoon in Tak Bai district in Narathiwat yesterday. The bomb was set off by a cell phone by insurgents when the truck passed over a local bridge.

Violence has flared in the deep South since early 2004, claiming thousands of lives since, while the Thai authorities have struggled to contain the insurgency.

Police in Sungai Padi in Narathiwat managed to defuse bombs yesterday planted at the railway and a road in the district but road and rail transport was delayed for hours.

Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha called a meeting of the National Security Council as he prepared to recommend that Cabinet should extend the state of emergency in the far South today for another three months. NSC secretary-general Wichean Potephosree said extending the Emergency Law would enable officials to work efficiently and effectively.

In a separate development, a police forensic team has confirmed that a fire in a department store in Narathiwat last Friday was caused by a bomb.

Narathiwat provincial police chief Maj-General Chote Chawalwiwat said bomb shrapnel was found and steel shelving was bent by the force of a powerful explosion.

They think the bomb was placed on shelving beside flammable products such as hair spray, and caused the blaze to spread quickly.

-- The Nation 2012-09-04

[asiawatcher]

More PR & excuses rather than finding a workable solution. If Malaysia is serious about its religious people occupying Thailand then reel them in from within their own factions. Muslims globally seem to just stand by and let it happen. Is it their secret desire not to piss off their Mullah's or go against a man made book? Or is it fear in being exposed as the real fanatics they are? Like a disease it is still spreading and the cure has to come from within.

[cup-O-coffee]

Malaysia was not involved in violence in the far South

Is Malaysia a person? Is Malaysia a belief? Is Malaysia a guide to human behavior?

What does Malaysia have to do with Islam?

This article misses the mark by a mile.

[sunshine51]

Malaysia...as a nation...most likely is not involved.

However...many of the bad guys live in Malaysia

and cross the border, without need of passport,

often, stirr up some agro, then split back home

before they can get caught. Some bombs are

detonated by hand-phones....calls originate from

places within Malaysia. The phones are trashed

further compounding exact location because

all the phone has to do is ring or vibrate one or

perhaps two times.

Hundreds of "tom yam" stalls & restaurants in

Northern Malaysia are money spinners/printers

for the bad guys and the Thai "authorities" know this.

So do the Malaysian "authorities" but the latter do

nothing to control these eateries because the

eateries haven't done anything illegal in Malaysia.

There's other money spinners but not here, not

now.

You must remember that Hambali one of the master

minds of the Bali bombings of 2002 was arrested

in Thailand. His wife lives in Malaysia and the authorities

there never even hauled her ass in for questioning.

This flies in the face of co-operation simply due to

the fact that husbands and wives do communicate

and somehow pretty much know what each other is

doing (no husband-wife jokes here please). She's

still roaming free cause in legal terms she hasn't

done anything wrong...to the Malaysian authorities.

To me this article screams PR Stunt but fails

miserably due to the fact that both sides are not

doing their best to bring the "Troubles" to a halt.

One way to slow it down would be the Thai

government end the fluid border agreement

with Malaysia which applies to all the border

provinces & states (Thai-Mal) and require the

folks living in these places to have passports

instead of the flimsy piece of paper currently

used called a border pass.

Yes the Malaysian's who come into the bordering

provinces every day will then be facing passport

checks...etc but that's a price one must bear

considering what is happening currently. And yes

the Malaysian government will most assuredly be

very upset but that's their problem...under the

circumstances.

[rubl]

begin removed ...

Yes the Malaysian's who come into the bordering

provinces every day will then be facing passport

checks...etc but that's a price one must bear

considering what is happening currently. And yes

the Malaysian government will most assuredly be

very upset but that's their problem...under the

circumstances.

This might work, but ONLY when all traffic is through border checkpoints. I don't know the situation with the Thai-Malaysian border, but have some doubts.

Any thoughts on this?

[dcutman]

begin removed ...

Yes the Malaysian's who come into the bordering

provinces every day will then be facing passport

checks...etc but that's a price one must bear

considering what is happening currently. And yes

the Malaysian government will most assuredly be

very upset but that's their problem...under the

circumstances.

This might work, but ONLY when all traffic is through border checkpoints. I don't know the situation with the Thai-Malaysian border, but have some doubts.

Any thoughts on this?

I am not sure this has not already been done. If it hasn't, why not? These checkpoints should be controlled as tight as the US-Mexican border. If the Malay Govt is so eager to help, they should and would be obliged to do the same. It would make these terrorist work a bit harder anyway.

[Thai at Heart]

begin removed ...

Yes the Malaysian's who come into the bordering

provinces every day will then be facing passport

checks...etc but that's a price one must bear

considering what is happening currently. And yes

the Malaysian government will most assuredly be

very upset but that's their problem...under the

circumstances.

This might work, but ONLY when all traffic is through border checkpoints. I don't know the situation with the Thai-Malaysian border, but have some doubts.

Any thoughts on this?

I am not sure this has not already been done. If it hasn't, why not? These checkpoints should be controlled as tight as the US-Mexican border. If the Malay Govt is so eager to help, they should and would be obliged to do the same. It would make these terrorist work a bit harder anyway.

Is that the border they have had to build a bloody great fence on to stop people walking across the border?

Until the local population sides completely with the Thai government, the insurgents will continue to have safety down there. When they are free to carry out 108 so called incidents ranging from bombings to flag burnings, and NO ONE tips of the authorities, it would suggest that the Thais are a very very long way from getting this under control, and I think we can expect it only to get worse.

[sunshine51]

begin removed ...

Yes the Malaysian's who come into the bordering

provinces every day will then be facing passport

checks...etc but that's a price one must bear

considering what is happening currently. And yes

the Malaysian government will most assuredly be

very upset but that's their problem...under the

circumstances.

This might work, but ONLY when all traffic is through border checkpoints. I don't know the situation with the Thai-Malaysian border, but have some doubts.

Any thoughts on this?

Hello Rubl & Dcutman....

2 Birds with one stone here...hopefully....

The border has been clear cut and fenced all along it's East West run

however there are many holes in the fence and yes, everybody who

doesn't use the proper entry points knows where the gaps/holes are

or brings wire/bolt cutters and makes a new hole. Both the Thai &

Mal military discover new ones daily. About the only way I can see

a better alternative is to string a couple rows of razor wire along

the fence run to make it more difficult...but that's not gonna stop

the determined.

Dcutman...the stopping of dual nationality with border pass

vice dual nationality with passport hasn't been done with either.

Why not? I have no idea but just think of Thai politics and maybe

you'll get a better idea cause that's what I do!

Lads...the problem...it seems...is that both sides of the border

don't really want this problem to end...why? Again I haven't

a clue but I bet there's huge money involved. If the Thai military

got off their bum they could end this mess within a month at

the longest but that would only cause further cross border

problems with the Malaysians since there would be a flood

of IDP's into Malaysia...and they'd want to return "home" after

hostilities end but then would they be considered Thai or

Malaysian? And that's just the start of the myriad of problems

that would erupt.

The Thai Army are very good fighters, they don't run from

a fight.

[rubl]

To show how some think about the unfair treatment of red-shirts we have former Pheu Thai party list MP, but still UDD leader Jatuporn told the Criminal Court in defence to his bail being asked to be revoked

"Jatuporn told the court that the emergency decree should not have been used against the red-shirt movement as it was meant to be used in the three southernmost provinces only."

[simple1]

@sunshine51: When you say "again I haven't a clue but I bet there's huge money involved" are you referring to funding government agencies such as the military (with skim offs) or illegal trade, whether it be drugs or something else?

[sunshine51]

@ Simple1...

I just sent you a PM regarding your question.

[geriatrickid]

Malaysia is Thailand's friend. Malaysians love Thailand.

[sunshine51]

Malaysia is Thailand's friend. Malaysians love Thailand.

Geriatrickid....how are you today? Started in fine form I see!

There is a lotta truth in your comment. The amount of money

Malaysians spent in one small border town named Danok, during

the period of 1990 to 2004...known as the Danok Boom Days,

not to be mistaken for Boom as associated with bombs...

was...you wont believe this but it IS true....was equivalent to

200 Million US Dollars...PER DAY!

Then came the big uprising of 2004 and although the Malaysians

pretty much stayed away from Thailand's Southern most

provinces they still spent around 2 to 5 million US Dollars per day

in Danok. Why?...

Danok is in that part of Songkla that is considered "safe" and

the Malaysians come to party in ways they cannot party in

Malaysia, buy stuff like dried mushrooms, buy clothes in

bulk dirt cheap for resale "back home", eat real Thai food

in real Thai restaurants (a few very good ones there!), and

generally do the neat stuff everybody else would do in life

that they (Malaysians) just can't do at "home". And to top

it all off they're very open about what they do in Thailand,

while in Thailand too..."I come to enjoy" one geezer in a

coppers uniform, insignia removed, told me when I said

hello to him and the sexy 20 something Isaan girl he was

with...both all freshly showered and smiley faced. Hell he

asked me to join em for a beer...and I did...why not. I mean

if a hypocrite wants to buy me a beer that's ok by me!

Danok is like Bangla Road in Phuket, Soi Cowboy and

Patpong in Bangkok plus your idea of a 3 star resort,

all combined and it all is planted into about 8 or 10 square

kilometers of once beautiful rubber plantation.

edited due to fattusdigititus keypadius...

Edited September 5, 2012 by sunshine51

[MobileContent]

Malaysia is certainly not involved in the deep South but some Southern Thai's that carry a Thai and a Malaysian id card and most of them are based in the Kelantan state.

The Tom Yam story that they finance the insurgency is for me rubbish.

Let's say 500 Tom Yam walking stalls in Malaysia give 50 Baht a day to the insurgency (25,000 Baht x 30 days = 750,000 Baht).

Where do they pay the money too? Some terrorist that collects the money daily from their stalls? Trust me, Bukit Aman is not sleeping in Malaysia.

The insurgency is financed my organized crime which covers smuggling of consumer products/peoples and narcotics.

The Thai Military needs to change in tackling the violence:

1) Don't return to the barracks at night. It is well known that the insurgents control the 3 provinces only at night.

2) Monitor closely the Southern Thai Muslim woman's that marry Pakistani and Afghan's. I often heard Pashtu was spoken during my trips to Yala and Pattani.

.

[sunshine51]

Malaysia is certainly not involved in the deep South but some Southern Thai's that carry a Thai and a Malaysian id card and most of them are based in the Kelantan state.

The Tom Yam story that they finance the insurgency is for me rubbish.

Let's say 500 Tom Yam walking stalls in Malaysia give 50 Baht a day to the insurgency (25,000 Baht x 30 days = 750,000 Baht).

Where do they pay the money too? Some terrorist that collects the money daily from their stalls? Trust me, Bukit Aman is not sleeping in Malaysia.

The insurgency is financed my organized crime which covers smuggling of consumer products/peoples and narcotics.

The Thai Military needs to change in tackling the violence:

1) Don't return to the barracks at night. It is well known that the insurgents control the 3 provinces only at night.

2) Monitor closely the Southern Thai Muslim woman's that marry Pakistani and Afghan's. I often heard Pashtu was spoken during my trips to Yala and Pattani.

.

I beg to differ with you.

Not only Southern Thai's carry dual identity documents, many Malaysians

from the Thai-Mal bordering states do too. And that just doesn't mean

only Kelantan. If Thailand scrapped the dual identity thing that's been

happening for ages and required Malaysians from the northern states

to be like any other foreign national entering Thailand through "official"

entry points and not via a hole in that fence....it may help not only

smuggling but may also help counter terror operations as well.

You say Malaysian based Tom Yam restaurants & stalls are not involved.

Granted not all of them are but many are.

As for the bagman collecting & running money into LOS that's very easy

to accomplish...use many bagmen each carrying a little bit. With the

fluid border and usage of border passes vice full fledged passports

the situation becomes even easier.

Tom Yam joints are not solely the money earners for the insurgency;

yes organised crime and smuggling (even by individuals) are a good

money spinners and so are "deposits" into Thai bank accounts from

foreign entities and governments.

I take it Bukit Aman is Police HQ, then if they're not sleeping why does

illegal logging take place continuously in Malaysian national parks

without any arrests being made...it's very easy to read about Johor's

primary rainforest being destroyed and other places to include the

beautiful Taman Negara via the internet. It's all about the money

isn't it?

You say the Thai military needs to change in tackling the violence,

what do you suggest? Remember...they have combat experience

more than Malaysian troopers do who, by the way have mostly

only pulled UN peace keeping duty which doesn't amount to

combat duty. FYI combat duty comes from mainly the Thai-Burma

border when that place flares up...however recently the flares

haven't happened. The Thai military also fought in Vietnam, Malaysia

didn't. Granted the Malaysian military with the help from mainly the

Brits and Aussies did put down the Emergency but without that

Brit & Aussie help Malaysia's Emergency would have been much

worse.

FYI...the Thai military don't return to their barracks at night. They

conduct operations 24-7-365. And the bad guys don't wear

uniforms.

Lastly..." Monitor closely the Southern Thai Muslim woman's that

marry Pakistani and Afghan's. I often heard Pashtu was spoken

during my trips to Yala and Pattani." Do the Malaysian authorities

do the same thing to Malay women? Many Iranians there and also

Paki's and Afghani's and Somali's and Nigerians...etc.

As I hacked out earlier...this problem in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala

and the eastern bits of Songkla isn't gonna cease any time soon

simply because both sides..Thai & Mal...seemingly don't want it

to end because there's big for both in prolonging it.

Believe me...you don't want the Thai military to go on a rampage

and end it once and for all...they are very capable of doing this

and what then? Malaysia has a huge refugee problem that's

what willl happen. And then what? More problems will erupt.

Edited September 5, 2012 by sunshine51

[h90]

More PR & excuses rather than finding a workable solution. If Malaysia is serious about its religious people occupying Thailand then reel them in from within their own factions. Muslims globally seem to just stand by and let it happen. Is it their secret desire not to piss off their Mullah's or go against a man made book? Or is it fear in being exposed as the real fanatics they are? Like a disease it is still spreading and the cure has to come from within.

Malaysia offers Malaysian passport for them....

[FarangTalk]

If Malaysia is serious about its religious people occupying Thailand

The region is Malay. Thailand merely has a claim of sovereignty over it.

Believe me...you don't want the Thai military to go on a rampage

and end it once and for all...they are very capable of doing this

They couldn't even if they wanted to. The area is predominantly Muslim Malay.

[sunshine51]

If Malaysia is serious about its religious people occupying Thailand

The region is Malay. Thailand merely has a claim of sovereignty over it.

Believe me...you don't want the Thai military to go on a rampage

and end it once and for all...they are very capable of doing this

They couldn't even if they wanted to. The area is predominantly Muslim Malay.

Believe me they very easily could do it regardless of being Muslim Malay

or not. BTW....all ethnic Malays are Muslim.

[Thongkorn]

As I have said before the people don't want to be Thai or Malaysia. they want there own autonomy.

[Sayonarax]

Regular visits and meetings? Never occurred for Malaysia to step up security in the region in the last 6years of this crap fight?