EDITORIAL

Autonomy is not the only solution for the deep South

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Policies that offer justice, equal opportunities and a sense of inclusion are more important to people in the troubled region than handouts and other short-term schemes

Over the past few years, structural reform for the three southernmost, Malay-speaking provinces has popped up in discussion every now and then, but never in a serious, meaningful manner. It has been consistently argued that, if people in the deep South can handle their own affairs, the ongoing insurgency would die a natural death.

But the situation in the three provinces is too complicated for a simple textbook solution. Of late, the National Security Council (NSC) has been fretting that any government policies or initiatives for the Malay-speaking South could be seen elsewhere as coming at the expense of the rest of Thailand's citizens.

In other words, the government is concerned with the general public's zero-sum mentality toward the deep South, and is worried that any policy perceived as overly favourable to the region may cost it political capital.

The Democrat Party, while in government, suggested that reform might not necessarily have to take the form of bureaucratic and administrative restructuring, since economic and cultural autonomy as a concept should not be overlooked.

During the election in mid-2011, the Democrats - the only party that did not campaign on autonomy for the region - won all but one seat in the deep South. One reading of this outcome was that local residents, the vast majority of whom are Malay-Muslims, are more concerned with justice and equality than autonomy. The problem is that autonomy is a vague concept and could translate into more bureaucratic positions going to local Malay-Muslims, as opposed to Buddhists from other parts of the country.

While decentralisation and empowerment of local communities in the South and across the country are good concepts worthy of further study, a system that is based on quotas could be harmful if it attracts unqualified candidates who are appointed because of race, religion or origin.

This is not to say that the government should not explore the idea of enhancing social mobility for the Malay-Muslims as part of a long-term strategy to help them integrate into the national system.

Such a policy must be sound, or else we risk irking the rest of Thailand, since the initiative could very well come at their expense.

The so-called "3,000-nurse project" launched in 2007 is a good example of what not to do. The 25 nursing colleges could only produce 2,500 nurses each year, but then-health minister Mongkhol na Songkhla insisted on pushing through 3,000 nurses, all from the deep South, in one go. No one understood the logic. Surely it was not based on the needs of the region, because only 300 nurses were needed to fill vacancies at the time. Many were left to assume that the government simply wanted to show how it was assisting the Malay-Muslims with social mobility.

The idea might have been good in principle, but the way the government went about it was wrong. It created too much resentment in other parts of the country. Of course, there is no perfect system that can please all the people all the time, especially if one's aim is to uplift the social standing of a particular group of people, a minority in this case.

Instead of "3,000 nurses" in one push, perhaps the government should consider a much smaller figure and apply the strategy to other occupations in the region.

Handouts are not empowerment, and good intention is not always good policy. Uplifting the social mobility of people in the deep South so they can be on a par with the rest of the country, while pleasing the rest of the country at the same time, is a fine line to walk. Nevertheless, it needs to be done if we are to give the Malay-Muslims a share in ownership of the country.

The region has been neglected for too long and no one-off initiative will solve the problem.

-- The Nation 2013-01-18

Arbitrarily pushing nurses through is a bad policy, but parachuting administrators into the region is a good one?

Arbitrarily pushing nurses through is a bad policy, but parachuting administrators into the region is a good one?

I quite like the idea of Chalerm being parachuted into the deep south!

I don't understand this, so many lives have been lost, so many civilians have suffered, so many children are emotionally disrupted. I recall sometime back when it was published that the police knew who the culprits were, yet the violence continues.

in terrorism there is no negotiation, there is no democracy. ask your conscience would you sacrifice 100 innocent lives to save a 1,000 or would you prefer to just let the violence and deaths continue.

Perhaps if the country divided into States and got Bangkok out of the equation things could progress.

Perhaps if the country divided into States and got Bangkok out of the equation things could progress.

Ah, but they know best, at least that's what I've been told....

Arbitrarily pushing nurses through is a bad policy, but parachuting administrators into the region is a good one?

I quite like the idea of Chalerm being parachuted into the deep south!

Probably best some one put the suit on him as he might not be in condition to do it him self what with all his ear problems and remedies.

I have the solution. Here in Chiang Mai we have a lot of missionaries.

I am sure that there are enough missionaries in the world to convert the southern provinces into Christians or a semblance of them.

I have the solution. Here in Chiang Mai we have a lot of missionaries.

I am sure that there are enough missionaries in the world to convert the southern provinces into Christians or a semblance of them.

Good idea !

I wonder if Ms. Ying read this ?

Arbitrarily pushing nurses through is a bad policy, but parachuting administrators into the region is a good one?

I quite like the idea of Chalerm being parachuted into the deep south!

Real bright comment.

You have astounded me with your intelligence, not.....

I don't understand this, so many lives have been lost, so many civilians have suffered, so many children are emotionally disrupted. I recall sometime back when it was published that the police knew who the culprits were, yet the violence continues.

in terrorism there is no negotiation, there is no democracy. ask your conscience would you sacrifice 100 innocent lives to save a 1,000 or would you prefer to just let the violence and deaths continue.

Yes, I would gladly sacrifice for the greater good !

I have the solution. Here in Chiang Mai we have a lot of missionaries. I am sure that there are enough missionaries in the world to convert the southern provinces into Christians or a semblance of them.

Good idea !

Opinions are like assh*les.

Everybody's got one.

Mine is Bad idea !

How's this for a novel idea? Let's make a million paper cranes and have them signed by northern Thais before dumping them over the south. Just to show them that we care.

How's this for a novel idea? Let's make a million paper cranes and have them signed by northern Thais before dumping them over the south. Just to show them that we care.

A million paper cranes works only for Bangkok.

For the South, it's 100 million paper cranes.

Red Shirts To Flood Bangkok's Ratchaprasong With 1 Million Red Paper Cranes

Zero points for Thaksin Red Shirt originality...

Millions of folded paper cranes fluttered down from warplanes in the skies over southern Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand, Dec. 5, 2004

There is great interest in finding one paper bird in particular - as it has been signed by the prime minister himself.

Mr Thaksin has promised that the student who finds it will win a scholarship.

BBC - December 5, 2004

Followed by the inevitable cock-up of a Thaksin plan:

A number of people have come forward claiming to have found the prime minister’s bird since nearly 100 million 'origami birds' were dumped on Thailand's three southern border provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani last Sunday in a gesture of peace for the troubled region.

However, all the birds have so far proved to be forgeries.

TNA - December 10, 2004

I wonder if Ms. Ying read this ?

I doubt it. Too busy looking at the latest designer boots, hand bags, ect.

I wonder if Ms. Ying read this ?

I doubt it. Too busy looking at the latest designer boots, hand bags, ect.

Or reading her notes of recent meetings with world leaders and royalty and preparing for future meetings and running the country as Prime Minister.................

I know her success hurts but is she probably a bit too busy and involved to worry much about what a few old fogeys on Thai Visa think.

Sad innit ??

I wonder if Ms. Ying read this ?

I doubt it. Too busy looking at the latest designer boots, hand bags, ect.

Or reading her notes of recent meetings with world leaders and royalty and preparing for future meetings and running the country as Prime Minister.................

I know her success hurts but is she probably a bit too busy and involved to worry much about what a few old fogeys on Thai Visa think.

Sad innit ??

Yes sir phil. I stand corrected. She is absolutely the best and finest PM Thailand has ever had. What a clone girl.

I wonder if Ms. Ying read this ?

I doubt it. Too busy looking at the latest designer boots, hand bags, ect.

Or reading her notes of recent meetings with world leaders and royalty and preparing for future meetings and running the country as Prime Minister.................

I know her success hurts but is she probably a bit too busy and involved to worry much about what a few old fogeys on Thai Visa think.

Sad innit ??

Yea, busy shopping, drinking, partying, filing her pockets and listening to her bro.