Make Fridays A Holiday In South, Scholar Advises: Thailand

[webfact]

VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTH

Make Fridays a holiday in South, scholar advises

THE NATION

YALA: -- A Muslim scholar in Yala urged the government yesterday to declare Fridays a public holiday in three southern provinces to be in line with people's ways of living and to reflect government's understanding.

Nimu Makaje, a leading Muslim scholar in the South, said it was common practice for many schools and government offices in the region to close on Friday, which is considered a holy day in Islam and time for Muslims to attend prayer services at mosques.

"I urge the government to make Friday an additional public holiday for those living in the three southernmost provinces to respond to the way of living of local people. If so, insurgents will not be able to threaten people to close their businesses on Friday," Nimu said.

Many government offices in the region close on Fridays to allow Muslim officials to go to mosques. In compensation, the officials work other days, Nimu said. Islamic schools are also closed on Fridays.

Making Friday a public holiday would reflect the government's understanding of the southern people, who would definitely agree with the proposal, Nimu said. He also referred to distribution of leaflets in the South, in which insurgents threatened people not to work on Friday. Those who worked or opened their businesses would face attacks or kidnapping.

The fliers also stated that Muslim teachings prohibited work on Friday - a claim rejected by Chula Ratchamontri, the spiritual leader of Muslims in Thailand.

Nimu said if Friday was a public holiday, the threat in the fliers would mean nothing.

Meanwhile yesterday, three people were killed in attacks in Pattani and Narathiwat.

In Pattani's Khok Pho district, Phon and Nid Phetsorn, both 65, were fatally shot en-route to a rubber plantation in Tambon Napradu. Police said the couple was ambushed by insurgents with assault rifles while riding a motorcycle. They died instantly at the scene.

In Narathiwat, Sama-e Seng, 49, told police that he and his wife Suenor, 44, were riding on a motorcycle on Sungai Padi-Joh I Rong Road in Joh I Rong district when a friend, Saitong Uma, 37, asked them for lift. So the three went together on the motorcycle. Later, two insurgents on a motorcycle approached them and fired at Suenor, the wife sitting in the middle. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The husband and Saitong were not injured.

-- The Nation 2012-10-10

[theblether]

Garbage......and hand a victory to these murderous terrorists? Quite frankly unbelievable, you'll on teach them that bombs and bullets work, and they will just keep going and going and going.

Disgraceful idea.

[lizardtongue]

Yeah make Fridays a holiday, then decree that pigs are not allowed in the provinces (the oink oink kind), no celebration of Buddhist, Catholic or Christian holidays, demolish temples and churches, not allowed to display national flags unless of course it represents a Muslim country, reading of the Koran obligatory in schools!

<<SNIP!>> em!

A lot is said on these forums about how ex-pats should try and integrate and understand Thai society and any other country that one decides to make home.

What makes these people think that they are something special?

Edited October 10, 2012 by metisdead

[jackr]

^^

Exactly. I say do all that, give them their three scummy provinces and whack up the borders... they can then do what they want. Unfortunately, you end turning your back on good folk who have had their home there for generations all because of a few selfish, spineless bastards.

[lemonjelly]

Never could understand why some people let their personal identity be so defined by their religion and it's imaginary friend....crazy Abrahamic stuff.

[Songhua]

This would be done in the same way the muslims close their doors on a buddhist holiday would it? Lol

Good try Nimu. If you want to close your own schools and businesses in line with your beliefs, go right ahead - but aren't you forgetting that others do not follow your beliefs?

How would enforcing such a thing 'reflect understanding'? Surely it would widen the divide, not lessen it.

Go lead your own life and leave everyone else out of it. I've yet to see or hear anyone say they would begrudge you that.

[Thai at Heart]

Can i have Christmas as an official public holiday please. I promise not to bomb anyone, but just give it, please.

[Songhua]

Can i have Christmas as an official public holiday please. I promise not to bomb anyone, but just give it, please.

Yes you can have the day off Thai at Heart. Have a peaceful, restful day full of joy, peace and understanding ..... then kill someone the next day.

It's a form of blackmail - 'give us what we want or we'll kill more of you'. Nowhere does he say he'd prefer it to stop.

[Thai at Heart]

Can i have Christmas as an official public holiday please. I promise not to bomb anyone, but just give it, please.

Yes you can have the day off Thai at Heart. Have a peaceful, restful day full of joy, peace and understanding ..... then kill someone the next day.

It's a form of blackmail - 'give us what we want or we'll kill more of you'. Nowhere does he say he'd prefer it to stop.

Precisely. If people don't want to work, take a day off. But unfortunately, this is a black mail of the simplest kind. Give us what we want or we kill people.

It is also a very symbolic gesture. The government should not countenance this stuff because of a threat.

[WilliaminBKK]

If I lived in a Muslim community, had neighbours who were Muslim, clients who were Muslim and I was Muslim do I need someone to tell me to take Friday off, of course not it would happen automatically.

I was born on a Tuesday can we declare that a holiday now please ?

[Fozfromoz]

Molecule by molecule.............the cancer spreads.

[Songhua]

Molecule by molecule.............the cancer spreads.

It's like rust. You apply the solution but it spreads out from underneath it again.

I'm not a muslim basher but this starts with muslims and must end with muslims. Since when did Thai mothers champ at the bit for their sons to go down south and kill people because they had different beliefs?

Until the muslims themselves realise that it is only THEMSELVES who hold the key, there will be no end. There is absolutely nothing to be gained, other than resentment, in forcing others to conform.

It's simple - pull ya head in and live your own life. Noone's stopping them.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Songhua

[hellodolly]

"Nimu Makaje, a leading Muslim scholar in the South"

Well there you go a scholar says so. When was the last time a schoar was linked up with common sense. They are two diametrical opposite terms.

Why did he not site a list of other Muslim countries where Friday is a holiday and the people work on Sunday instead. That would have been a ligtemate argument.

[wildorchid]

after seeing the daily news each day of the world, of how anyone that dose not conform to muslim teachings, I wounder how the muslim people would feel if they knew that the idear of a weekly holy day came from the Jews, followed by the christians, and then muslims, it is a day of public worship.

I do not force my belifes on others, nor do any of the people I know, also I do not make threats of violence or killings to any and all who do not do as I say,

as for people telling me I have to close my buisness or they will beat me or bomb me well I dont go and do that to others also,,, how about a little live and let live???

to repress a people and try do dictate to them this and that, then it is human nature to rise up and fight for freedom, only those that are happy in being controled will stay. my hubble opinion

[h90]

Yeah make Fridays a holiday, then decree that pigs are not allowed in the provinces (the oink oink kind), no celebration of Buddhist, Catholic or Christian holidays, demolish temples and churches, not allowed to display national flags unless of course it represents a Muslim country, reading of the Koran obligatory in schools!

F#@k em!

A lot is said on these forums about how ex-pats should try and integrate and understand Thai society and any other country that one decides to make home.

What makes these people think that they are something special?

In Austria in many Kindergarten pork is already banned and Santa Claus is not allowed to visit as it would hurt their feelings.

Even pork for the christian kids isn't allowed as there is a risk that something get mixed or the Christian kid shares his food.

In public schools people try to register their kid in some small farmer villages. Or even register their home there, so they can escape the schools in the cities with a Muslim majority....

Kind of big problems brewing in Europe.

[wildorchid]

also I hope thailand can show the same leadership as OZ and not bend over like the phillipines...

[Scully]

This sounds harmless enough to the Muslim expert with the hidden agenda. Personally though I have a sneaking suspicion that if his wish is granted then the fanatics will find another target just as easily.

Maybe hospital staff, chemists, emergency services etc etc would be targeted on a Friday ?.

Give them a victory of a Friday holiday and in their mind they will have won and the violent demands will be never ending.

Restaurants serving pork, women not appropriately covered the potential targets are endless.

Ridiculous

[bigbamboo]

Yeah make Fridays a holiday, then decree that pigs are not allowed in the provinces (the oink oink kind), no celebration of Buddhist, Catholic or Christian holidays, demolish temples and churches, not allowed to display national flags unless of course it represents a Muslim country, reading of the Koran obligatory in schools!

F#@k em!

A lot is said on these forums about how ex-pats should try and integrate and understand Thai society and any other country that one decides to make home.

What makes these people think that they are something special?

The Koran.

[Methane]

Muslim Scholar--oxymoron of the millenium.

[Sing_Sling]

Muslim Scholar--oxymoron of the millenium.

How so?

[notmyself]

Molecule by molecule.............the cancer spreads.

All religions are like cancer because that is the only means they have to propagate, Islam is an aggressive cancer. If Thailand gives into this then another demand will be forthcoming no question at all.

[softgeorge]

If you live in a country where the religion is Hindu, Islam or Christian then you accept the customs and holidays of that country and not try and impose your minority religion on that society.

There are something like 500+ religions in the world and a society can't grant demands to every single one. Just imagine a multicultural country like Australia granting public holidays and other holidays for every single religion in the country, the economy would slide quickly and make it difficult to do business. Everyday would be a holiday.

[theblether]

If it's not bad enough that schoolteachers are targeted in Thailand, now we have 14 year old schoolgirls being targeted for assassination,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19893309

Young Malala Yousafzai is the true face of Islam, I wish her a speedy recovery. These barbarians must be defeated. .

No surrender to terrorism.

[Methane]

Muslim Scholar--oxymoron of the millenium.

How so?

Islam is all about adherance to the Koran, end of.

If any scholar were to objectively investigate the Koran in an open and meaningful manner he would find himself skewered

to the pavement as a blasphemer.

[GentlemanJim]

Well I belong to the Universal Holy Church Of The Jedi and we normally have Monday and Tuesday as our holy days. If we cannot have those days off we will invoke the spirit of Yoda the short and light sabre you all in to submission or feed you to Jatuporn the Hut.

This all sounds a case of Tail Wagging the Dog to me. Yes lets just cut 20% of the commercial business week in the South because someone's imaginary friend says stay in bed on Friday as well.

Shops are open in the Mid East on Fridays, what choice are these luddites giving businesses in the South of Thailand?

[Rancid]

Reading a book at the moment, an account of an Arab's journey into northern Europe over 1,000 years ago. He is a devout Muslim, but doesn't have the same insane attitudes as todays version, he is educated, intelligent and open minded. Pity, if all were still like this there would be no need for disharmony.

That aside and back to the point it would be absurd to collow this clown's advice and shut everything Fridays. Read also some girl working the gas station was arbitrarily executed, blasted her out of her sandals, another triumph for Islam. Plus the 18 yo girl in Pakistan who was just shot in the face for standing up to the Taliban.

For those of you that use the leftist gambit that society is to blame, it reaches a point where it is just murder for fun by very sick and twisted individuals. There is no excuse for what is going on, hopefully the b*stards will be caught and sent to meet their maker.

[Thai at Heart]

Does Friday fall on the same day in the Roman calendar as the Thai calendar? Why do Moslems recognize the Roman calender?

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to possible violation of copyright and non compliance of fair use. It is generally accepted, but not written into law, that quoting the first two or three sentences of an article and giving a link to the source is considered “fair use” and not a violation of copyright.

In this case, the link was not valid as well.

[notmyself]

If you live in a country where the religion is Hindu, Islam or Christian then you accept the customs and holidays of that country and not try and impose your minority religion on that society.

And what of Afghanistan where girls are not allowed to be educated?

There are something like 500+ religions in the world and a society can't grant demands to every single one. Just imagine a multicultural country like Australia granting public holidays and other holidays for every single religion in the country, the economy would slide quickly and make it difficult to do business. Everyday would be a holiday.

There are over 5000 denominations just within Christianity.

[SteeleJoe]

Yeah make Fridays a holiday, then decree that pigs are not allowed in the provinces (the oink oink kind), no celebration of Buddhist, Catholic or Christian holidays, demolish temples and churches, not allowed to display national flags unless of course it represents a Muslim country, reading of the Koran obligatory in schools!

em!

A lot is said on these forums about how ex-pats should try and integrate and understand Thai society and any other country that one decides to make home.

What makes these people think that they are something special?

Ex-pats in Thailand? An odd comparison. These are Thais (albeit obviously a minority group).

I'm not sure I agree with the proposal but what they are asking for in this instance seems to be that their religion is given the same allowances as that of the majority's.

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