Thai Chambers Urge Govt To Counter Threats In Far South

[webfact]

Chambers urge govt to counter threats

The Nation

A victim of M-79 grenade attack at a trade fair in Narathiwat

Say insurgents' fight against Friday trading is hurting far South

NARATHIWAT: -- A campaign by insurgents to stop trading on Fridays in the mainly Muslim region would severely hurt the economy and life of people in the far South, business chambers in the region said yesterday. They urged the government to quickly solve the problem.

Shops and business activities have increasingly stopped on each Friday after threats made against entrepreneurs by the secretive movement.

To stop operations for one day a week may not harm big companies greatly but small and mid-sized enterprises were seriously damaged as their incomes were sharply reduced, an adviser to Narathiwat Chamber of Commerce, Panya Aungsakul said.

Insurgents spread a threatening rumour recently that they would attack any shops in the region that stay open on Fridays. Friday is considered a holy day for Muslims, when they must concentrate on religious activities rather than business, according to anecdotal accounts spreading locally.

Noppong Theeravorn, chairman of Yala Chamber of Commerce, said authorities should step up security measures to protect traders in the region as they were now doing business in a climate of fear.

"The government should not just simply urge them to operate as usual on Friday without any measure to protect them," he said. "No trader would have confidence in the situation if they trade on Friday. The economy is now seriously affected by this threat."

Authorities have struggled to maintain peace in the deep South since a spate of violence erupted in early 2004, claiming more than 5000 lives. An attack occurred on Saturday when suspected insurgents launched M-79 grenades into a trade fair in Narathiwat's Bajoh district, injuring some 23 people. The fair, which ends today, was quiet yesterday as traders and customers feared trouble. Many people preferred to leave the fair early.

In neighbouring Yala province, a woman, Chadarat In-iem, aged 27, was injured in a gun attack while riding a motorbike back from a market in Than To district.

Apan Bunrak, 42, and Suriya Aree, 30, were also injured in an another gun attack in Bannang Sata.

In Raman district there was an explosion at a Dtac phone tower. The blast did not damage the tower but two Malaysian national flags were found hanging there.

In Krong Pinang in Yala, Yaowaman Sukakern, 49, and her daughter Pattaya, 29, were injured after an attack by an unknown gunman as they rode a motorbike back from a funeral in another district nearby.

-- The Nation 2012-10-01

[asiawatcher]

Just because the insurgents want to comply with other Middle East nations there is no need for the Govt to capitulate and agree. The right to do business 7 days a week is not at the choice or direction of the nut cases. Thailand is a right to work county. Thailand is not a Muslim country so if they want to lose more time in 'religious' proceedings then go to the countries where that happens. Does not happen in Malaysia that I am aware of and they are fully Muslim. This seems to be just about a bunch of hardline extremists who have nothing bette to do than try and drag Thailand down to their level of control. I hope no-one gives in.

[Jaivin2011]

I think that the governement has been too leneient with the Southern Insurgents. They should first have a 24 hr curfew in all the affected provinces and then round up all those between 14 to 25 and send them to special camps , all religious schools should be stopped and mosques services checked and all potential insurgents should be shot immediately. Thaksin's policy of extrajudicial killings should be used here and also families of those caught insurgents should also be shot and executed. Anyone who knows but refuses to cooperate should also be shot. Examples should be made and there should be a media blackout of these provinces for a while till its cleansed f those muslim insurgents and also the border to Malysia should be closed during this time. Enough is enough......time to get tough with these muslim insurgents and their families and supporters. They can move to Malaysia if they are not happy here. Their fellow brother muslims in Malaysia can welcome them with open hands.GET TOUGH GOVERNMENT!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

They claim that it's their homeland, but if you study the history of the region you will find out it belonged to the Khmer empire before the Muslims came. Thailand will never give the area away, the offshore oil and gas fields of Narathiwat province are just too valuable for Thailand. The only way to solve this problem is to stand up to them and if they don't like it they can always move south of the border.

Edited October 1, 2012 by metisdead
: Tiny font reset to default forum font.

[dcutman]

I think that the governement has been too leneient with the Southern Insurgents. They should first have a 24 hr curfew in all the affected provinces and then round up all those between 14 to 25 and send them to special camps , all religious schools should be stopped and mosques services checked and all potential insurgents should be shot immediately. Thaksin's policy of extrajudicial killings should be used here and also families of those caught insurgents should also be shot and executed. Anyone who knows but refuses to cooperate should also be shot. Examples should be made and there should be a media blackout of these provinces for a while till its cleansed f those muslim insurgents and also the border to Malysia should be closed during this time. Enough is enough......time to get tough with these muslim insurgents and their families and supporters. They can move to Malaysia if they are not happy here. Their fellow brother muslims in Malaysia can welcome them with open hands.GET TOUGH GOVERNMENT!

Those are great Nazi like solutions.

You dont suppose this would just empower those people that want nothing to do with terrorists now, to become radical minded, and join with the terrorists? After all many things you mentioned having to put a stop to, (education, religion, personal freedom) is exactly why the situation is where it is.

[annabel]

Just because the insurgents want to comply with other Middle East nations there is no need for the Govt to capitulate and agree. The right to do business 7 days a week is not at the choice or direction of the nut cases. Thailand is a right to work county. Thailand is not a Muslim country so if they want to lose more time in 'religious' proceedings then go to the countries where that happens. Does not happen in Malaysia that I am aware of and they are fully Muslim. This seems to be just about a bunch of hardline extremists who have nothing bette to do than try and drag Thailand down to their level of control. I hope no-one gives in.

Same in Bangladesh which is a Muslim country.... business goes on 7 days a week ...

[hellodolly]

I think that the governement has been too leneient with the Southern Insurgents. They should first have a 24 hr curfew in all the affected provinces and then round up all those between 14 to 25 and send them to special camps , all religious schools should be stopped and mosques services checked and all potential insurgents should be shot immediately. Thaksin's policy of extrajudicial killings should be used here and also families of those caught insurgents should also be shot and executed. Anyone who knows but refuses to cooperate should also be shot. Examples should be made and there should be a media blackout of these provinces for a while till its cleansed f those muslim insurgents and also the border to Malysia should be closed during this time. Enough is enough......time to get tough with these muslim insurgents and their families and supporters. They can move to Malaysia if they are not happy here. Their fellow brother muslims in Malaysia can welcome them with open hands.GET TOUGH GOVERNMENT!

Well Malaysia dosen't want them either. I believe Malaysia is only 40% Muslim

[hellodolly]

They claim that it's their homeland, but if you study the history of the region you will find out it belonged to the Khmer empire before the Muslims came. Thailand will never give the area away, the offshore oil and gas fields of Narathiwat province are just too valuable for Thailand. The only way to solve this problem is to stand up to them and if they don't like it they can always move south of the border.

Actually they have never had autonomy they have always been a part of a empire. Or another country.

[hellodolly]

I don't know if it would solve the problem.

But if Thaksin was to be returned to Thailand one way or another and tried for his crimes in the deep south in the courts of the deep south it might ease the situation.

[OZEMADE]

I don't know if it would solve the problem.

But if Thaksin was to be returned to Thailand one way or another and tried for his crimes in the deep south in the courts of the deep south it might ease the situation.

You mean he should come back and finish the job he started.

These people don't care about others, or their religion and teach their kids from day one how to be a terrorist.

It is not written in any Muslem books, that Friday is a special religious day and that they the muslems should concentrate more on religion than their business on that day.

They are only stand over tacticts and they are enforcing their new rules by killing and miming their own people and innocents around them.

They are COWARDS.

I have no time for them and on a personal note would have no trouble in executing any one of them that have murdered or mimed another person.

Guarantee they wont do it again and any others would think twice about it, knowing the end result for them.

This is the result of these cowards and talking about it.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/587974-score-of-people-wounded-in-m79-attack-in-narathiwat/

Edited October 1, 2012 by OZEMADE

[khunken]

I don't know if it would solve the problem.

But if Thaksin was to be returned to Thailand one way or another and tried for his crimes in the deep south in the courts of the deep south it might ease the situation.

You mean he should come back and finish the job he started.

These people don't care about others, or their religion and teach their kids from day one how to be a terrorist.

It is not written in any Muslem books, that Friday is a special religious day and that they the muslems should concentrate more on religion than their business on that day.

They are only stand over tacticts and they are enforcing their new rules by killing and miming their own people and innocents around them.

They are COWARDS.

I have no time for them and on a personal note would have no trouble in executing any one of them that have murdered or mimed another person.

Guarantee they wont do it again and any others would think twice about it, knowing the end result for them.

This is the result of these cowards and talking about it.

http://www.thaivisa....-in-narathiwat/

You don't have a clue what your talking about. No Muslim country bans trading on Friday - it is just a weekly day off like Sunday elsewhere.

The disparate groups of insurgents are fighting for some form of autonomy - probably not much more than is granted to Bangkok. The to-date response by the Thai governments & military is nothing short of disastrous. Tak Bai, Krue Be & other massacres have not seen any justice. Nor has the detention without trial of ordinary people based on the waving of a magic wand (a divining rod) that is a sick joke.

Are they cowards? No, certainly not a much as those who use anonimity to preach their own brand of violence.

There was only small scale violence in the south until Thaksin came to power & screwed up a reasonable set of government & military joint organisations and sent out the wrong message to the population of the area. No government since has made any real effort to solve the problem which will only be resolved by allowing the south some degree of autonomy over their politics, education, policing, environment & industry.

[linuxuser010101]

If you want to live under Muslim law and you want to oppress people move to a Muslim country like Iran for example.

[khunken]

If you want to live under Muslim law and you want to oppress people move to a Muslim country like Iran for example.

I'm not sure if you are referring to my post but, if you are, I have lived in a Muslim country (Kuwait) & the 'oppression' there is nothing compared to Palestine, especially Gaza.

[asiawatcher]

I think that the governement has been too leneient with the Southern Insurgents. They should first have a 24 hr curfew in all the affected provinces and then round up all those between 14 to 25 and send them to special camps , all religious schools should be stopped and mosques services checked and all potential insurgents should be shot immediately. Thaksin's policy of extrajudicial killings should be used here and also families of those caught insurgents should also be shot and executed. Anyone who knows but refuses to cooperate should also be shot. Examples should be made and there should be a media blackout of these provinces for a while till its cleansed f those muslim insurgents and also the border to Malysia should be closed during this time. Enough is enough......time to get tough with these muslim insurgents and their families and supporters. They can move to Malaysia if they are not happy here. Their fellow brother muslims in Malaysia can welcome them with open hands.GET TOUGH GOVERNMENT!

Well Malaysia dosen't want them either. I believe Malaysia is only 40% Muslim

Approximately 61.3% of the population practice Islam, 19.8% practice Buddhism, 9.2% Christianity, 6.3% Hinduism and 1.3% practiceConfucianism, Taoism and other traditional Chinese religions. 0.7% declared no religion and the remaining 1.4% practised other religions or did not provide any information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia#Religion

[linuxuser010101]

If you want to live under Muslim law and you want to oppress people move to a Muslim country like Iran for example.

I'm not sure if you are referring to my post but, if you are, I have lived in a Muslim country (Kuwait) & the 'oppression' there is nothing compared to Palestine, especially Gaza.

Which is why I made a reference to Iran rather than Kuwait. I am so sick of people and their superstitions, at times it feels like we still live in the dark ages.

[OZEMADE]

I don't know if it would solve the problem.

But if Thaksin was to be returned to Thailand one way or another and tried for his crimes in the deep south in the courts of the deep south it might ease the situation.

You mean he should come back and finish the job he started.

These people don't care about others, or their religion and teach their kids from day one how to be a terrorist.

It is not written in any Muslem books, that Friday is a special religious day and that they the muslems should concentrate more on religion than their business on that day.

They are only stand over tacticts and they are enforcing their new rules by killing and miming their own people and innocents around them.

They are COWARDS.

I have no time for them and on a personal note would have no trouble in executing any one of them that have murdered or mimed another person.

Guarantee they wont do it again and any others would think twice about it, knowing the end result for them.

This is the result of these cowards and talking about it.

http://www.thaivisa....-in-narathiwat/

You don't have a clue what your talking about. No Muslim country bans trading on Friday - it is just a weekly day off like Sunday elsewhere.

The disparate groups of insurgents are fighting for some form of autonomy - probably not much more than is granted to Bangkok. The to-date response by the Thai governments & military is nothing short of disastrous. Tak Bai, Krue Be & other massacres have not seen any justice. Nor has the detention without trial of ordinary people based on the waving of a magic wand (a divining rod) that is a sick joke.

Are they cowards? No, certainly not a much as those who use anonimity to preach their own brand of violence.

There was only small scale violence in the south until Thaksin came to power & screwed up a reasonable set of government & military joint organisations and sent out the wrong message to the population of the area. No government since has made any real effort to solve the problem which will only be resolved by allowing the south some degree of autonomy over their politics, education, policing, environment & industry.

I don't know where I stated this in my comments. You Stated.

"You don't have a clue what your talking about. No Muslim country bans trading on Friday - it is just a weekly day off like Sunday elsewhere."

Edited October 2, 2012 by OZEMADE

[GaoYuk]

Chambers urge govt to counter threats

The Nation

A victim of M-79 grenade attack at a trade fair in Narathiwat

Say insurgents' fight against Friday trading is hurting far South

NARATHIWAT: -- A campaign by insurgents to stop trading on Fridays in the mainly Muslim region would severely hurt the economy and life of people in the far South, business chambers in the region said yesterday. They urged the government to quickly solve the problem.

Shops and business activities have increasingly stopped on each Friday after threats made against entrepreneurs by the secretive movement.

To stop operations for one day a week may not harm big companies greatly but small and mid-sized enterprises were seriously damaged as their incomes were sharply reduced, an adviser to Narathiwat Chamber of Commerce, Panya Aungsakul said.

Insurgents spread a threatening rumour recently that they would attack any shops in the region that stay open on Fridays. Friday is considered a holy day for Muslims, when they must concentrate on religious activities rather than business, according to anecdotal accounts spreading locally.

Noppong Theeravorn, chairman of Yala Chamber of Commerce, said authorities should step up security measures to protect traders in the region as they were now doing business in a climate of fear.

"The government should not just simply urge them to operate as usual on Friday without any measure to protect them," he said. "No trader would have confidence in the situation if they trade on Friday. The economy is now seriously affected by this threat."

Authorities have struggled to maintain peace in the deep South since a spate of violence erupted in early 2004, claiming more than 5000 lives. An attack occurred on Saturday when suspected insurgents launched M-79 grenades into a trade fair in Narathiwat's Bajoh district, injuring some 23 people. The fair, which ends today, was quiet yesterday as traders and customers feared trouble. Many people preferred to leave the fair early.

In neighbouring Yala province, a woman, Chadarat In-iem, aged 27, was injured in a gun attack while riding a motorbike back from a market in Than To district.

Apan Bunrak, 42, and Suriya Aree, 30, were also injured in an another gun attack in Bannang Sata.

In Raman district there was an explosion at a Dtac phone tower. The blast did not damage the tower but two Malaysian national flags were found hanging there.

In Krong Pinang in Yala, Yaowaman Sukakern, 49, and her daughter Pattaya, 29, were injured after an attack by an unknown gunman as they rode a motorbike back from a funeral in another district nearby.

-- The Nation 2012-10-01