Chalerm Floats New Thoughts On Tackling Southern Insurgency

[webfact]

Deputy PM Chalerm floats new thoughts on tackling southern insurgency

By English News

BANGKOK, Feb 18 – Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung has made new proposals to stimulate southern militants to turn themselves in to the authorities and adopting non-violence measures under the Internal Security Act (ISA) to deal with them.

newsjs

He is meeting with senior officials of the National Security Council and the Fourth Army Region Command today to discuss guidelines for insurgents to surrender.

Mr Chalerm did not elaborate on how the ISA will be enforced to cope with militant attacks and the series of explosions in the Malaysian border provinces over the weekend, apparently in retaliation against the government after 16 Muslim insurgents were killed in a failed assault against a marine outpost in Narathiwat’s Bacho district early Wednesday morning.

The latest bomb explosions were reported near the city clock tower in Pattani town on Sunday, killing three defence volunteers and wounding nine other people.

Mr Chalerm said there were eight explosions but southern authorities managed to handle four of the incidents.

He refused to say if the escalating violence will lead to the government’s revision of a curfew in the South.

“I won’t talk about it (curfew) anymore. Let officials in the South decide if they want a curfew,” he said. Mr Chalerm’s proposed curfew in the far South was flatly turned down in a high-level security meeting on Friday.

The deputy premier said the to-be-proposed non-violence measures will mainly involve negotiations with militants so that they give themselves up after which they will be treated under the ISA enforcement. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-02-18

[Buchholz]

Deputy PM Chalerm floats new thoughts

AKA a sprig of mint floats in a mai tai

.

[Songhua]

This confirms his way of thinking. If he believes they're going to turn themselves in he has no understanding of who or what he's dealing with.

The situation is beyond anything he is able to conceive.

[borisloosebrain]

Chalerm if you do want these guys to turn themselves in you one huge obstacle is convincing them that they would be treated fairly while in custody. Sadly history suggests otherwise.

[Thaddeus]

The situation is beyond anything he is able to conceive.

I wouldn't trust him to fetch me a glass of water.

[Songhua]

The situation is beyond anything he is able to conceive.

I wouldn't trust him to fetch me a glass of water.

Still worth asking. He might bring gin.

[Pimay1]

Chalerm if you do want these guys to turn themselves in you one huge obstacle is convincing them that they would be treated fairly while in custody. Sadly history suggests otherwise.

I wonder if they will be piled on top of each other in an army truck to be transported like before?

[ChrisY1]

The international embarassment for the Govt. at not to be able to find the slightest workable solution in attempting to solve these terrorist attacks is dreadful.....the Govt. doesn't even condemn the terrorists publicly...it just continues to hide behind useless ideas and empty talk.

[Halion]

This clown continues to defy all description as to his utter stupidity and or grasp of reality. With his hedonistic history and total arrogance why does he not simply state that he does not give a shit for the public or the military in that region. He and his disfunctional family live in comfort and priveledge in Bangkok and as such these troubles are far from his door and well beyond his ability.

Perhaps if he took his nose out of the whisky bottle and looked outside he would find that his attitude of dialouge and reconsiliation has never worked with terrorists until they are beaten into the ground. These so called insurgents have the freedom to do and act as they wish and he wants them to surrender. WILL NEVER HAPPEN. What does not kill them only makes them stronger. He is an idiot and a moral and social coward drevoid of responsibllity or integrity. A very sick individual indeed.

[NongKhaiKid]

Deputy PM Chalerm floats new thoughts

AKA a sprig of mint floats in a mai tai

.

The headline would have been more accurate if it had only read " Chalerm Floats "

[hellodolly]

This confirms his way of thinking. If he believes they're going to turn themselves in he has no understanding of who or what he's dealing with.

The situation is beyond anything he is able to conceive.

Speaking of Chalerm

"He is meeting with senior officials of the National Security Council and the Fourth Army Region Command today to discuss guidelines for insurgents to surrender."

Pretty well tells all he knows about the situation.

One more shot of ear medicine and he will be talking about the line up of insurgents outside his door waiting to turn them selves in.

Did I detect a bit of sour grapes in his comment about the curfew.

One would think Yingluck had enough problem on her hands trying to pretend she runs a country her brother runs.

Chalerm is just further proof that there is an incompetent running the country. The nice part about a clone is you can have two different sex's of one person here in Thailand. don't believe me ask the PM.

[Bagwan]

Any proposal to put an end to the mayhem down South should be welcomed. How those militants, or freedom fighters depending on your point of view, will see this latest move is moot. Are they being asked to lay down their arms and surrender and then be treated according to the laws of the country? So how about applying the laws of the country to those responsible for the Krue Se mosque and Tak Bai outrages they might well ask.

I am coming round to the view that the situation cannot be resolved without the participation of outside agencies but assume that any Thai Government would not agree since, in what passes for their minds, they would consider this a loss of face. It was reported that the UK Government were 'outraged' when Clinton appointed George Mitchell as a special envoy for Northern Ireland but the involvement of the US in a "UK domestic matter' has on balance proved beneficial. Maybe such an approach would be worth a try and it is certain that the US could apply sufficient pressure to get such a notion off the ground.

[jamhar]

Deputy PM Chalerm floats new thoughts

AKA a sprig of mint floats in a mai tai

.

dam_n i'm thirsty.

[scorecard]

Deputy PM Chalerm floats new thoughts

AKA a sprig of mint floats in a mai tai

.

dam_n i'm thirsty.

Great for ear infections.

[simple1]

This clown continues to defy all description as to his utter stupidity and or grasp of reality. With his hedonistic history and total arrogance why does he not simply state that he does not give a shit for the public or the military in that region. He and his disfunctional family live in comfort and priveledge in Bangkok and as such these troubles are far from his door and well beyond his ability.

Perhaps if he took his nose out of the whisky bottle and looked outside he would find that his attitude of dialouge and reconsiliation has never worked with terrorists until they are beaten into the ground. These so called insurgents have the freedom to do and act as they wish and he wants them to surrender. WILL NEVER HAPPEN. What does not kill them only makes them stronger. He is an idiot and a moral and social coward drevoid of responsibllity or integrity. A very sick individual indeed.

Never is a big statement, the truth is that some insurgents have given themselves up. last batch was in 09/2012

http://www.intellasia.net/100-suspected-insurgents-surrender-in-thailands-restive-south-232479

[Bagwan]

I wonder if his inner ear infection has now spread to his brain. This ear infection is taking it's time in being cured so maybe the idea of Thailand becoming a medical service hub for SE Asia should be ignored. Is there at least one Thai doctor who can cure this affliction which is obviously interfering with any sense of reality?

[Soi Dog]

There's only one thing that comes out of Chalerm that floats - and it ain't thoughts.

[hellodolly]

There's only one thing that comes out of Chalerm that floats - and it ain't thoughts.

Does it come out of a very large orifice?

[Suffinator]

His brain, if he actually has one, is floating in way too much ear medication.

[bigbamboo]

Chalerm if you do want these guys to turn themselves in you one huge obstacle is convincing them that they would be treated fairly while in custody. Sadly history suggests otherwise.

Considering he couldn't even get one of his own family to turn themselves in I doubt he'll be able to get any one else to.

[Pimay1]

There's only one thing that comes out of Chalerm that floats - and it ain't thoughts.

Does it come out of a very large orifice?

He IS an orifice from head to toe.

[Songhua]

At least the curfew idea's been squashed.

[theajarn]

"I won’t talk about it (curfew) anymore... now that I'm sobered up...

[Tanaka]

Seriously, has this man's IQ ever been tested? I doubt if it would rise above 55. He is a disgrace and a real pain in the back for the country.

[Baerboxer]

Any proposal to put an end to the mayhem down South should be welcomed. How those militants, or freedom fighters depending on your point of view, will see this latest move is moot. Are they being asked to lay down their arms and surrender and then be treated according to the laws of the country? So how about applying the laws of the country to those responsible for the Krue Se mosque and Tak Bai outrages they might well ask.

I am coming round to the view that the situation cannot be resolved without the participation of outside agencies but assume that any Thai Government would not agree since, in what passes for their minds, they would consider this a loss of face. It was reported that the UK Government were 'outraged' when Clinton appointed George Mitchell as a special envoy for Northern Ireland but the involvement of the US in a "UK domestic matter' has on balance proved beneficial. Maybe such an approach would be worth a try and it is certain that the US could apply sufficient pressure to get such a notion off the ground.

Clinton did a lot to help the peace process in Nothern Ireland, and doesn't always get the credit he deserves. An outside party with fresh ideas and open mind is always useful in issues like this.

However, the main thing that drove the NI terrorists towards peace was when the US declared war on terrorism and the IRA suddenly realised, as terrorist group, that would have included them.

Now, many insurgent moslem groups operate around the world so the situation is a little different,

[OzMick]

There should be a collected works of Chalerm's thoughts, preferably printed on soft 3-ply.

Meanwhile, where there is a lack of infidels to kill, Bomb blast kills 83, injures nearly 200 at market in southwest Pakistan.

[sunshine51]

Many things "float" Mr. Chalerm....however your ideas aren't one of em.

[A_Traveller]

A question that sometimes appears discussing the insurgency was where was it before 2004?

The simple answer is that from 1981 through to 2002 an organisation called Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre [under the auspices of the Interior Ministry] was the responsible body for managing what is best described as an accommodation between those who view themselves as having a different history, different culture but not in and of itself disloyal to the Kingdom. The Administration was based above local political appointees and the bureaucracy [it could and did remove personnel]. It was viewed as a liberal enclave within the security apparatus, and worked hard to build trust with leaders and the community. It wasn't perfect by measure but it by and large worked.

In addition it has a wide ranging intelligence network which allowed it to take preventative measures [not always by force] against up swellings of indignation. To be clear here there were smaller scale actions with the use of explosives during this time but not on the scale we see today

This was swept away by PM Thaksin on the first of May 2002. At the same time the operational agency [Centre 43] was dissolved.

The security situation deteriorated almost at once and continued so to do during the tenure of Songkitti as Fourth Army commander. Good intelligence dried up and the central government position became that all criminality in the region was driven by "bandits" or "drug dealers" not "separatists" or "insurgents".

And so it began ...

[A_Traveller]

By the by just to note that many, if not all, of Chalerm's suggestions are repetitions of PM Thaksin's many [and often contradictory] statements/suggestions about the region during his time in office. These included Soldiers as Teachers, Curfews, martial law, negotiations, [with whom has never been clear], massive military response, sending fact finding missions [iIRC in Thakin's case @ 50 Generals!] ... ... etc..

HMV = His Master's Voice

Edited February 18, 2013 by A_Traveller

[youngXpat]

Any proposal to put an end to the mayhem down South should be welcomed. How those militants, or freedom fighters depending on your point of view, will see this latest move is moot. Are they being asked to lay down their arms and surrender and then be treated according to the laws of the country? So how about applying the laws of the country to those responsible for the Krue Se mosque and Tak Bai outrages they might well ask.

I am coming round to the view that the situation cannot be resolved without the participation of outside agencies but assume that any Thai Government would not agree since, in what passes for their minds, they would consider this a loss of face. It was reported that the UK Government were 'outraged' when Clinton appointed George Mitchell as a special envoy for Northern Ireland but the involvement of the US in a "UK domestic matter' has on balance proved beneficial. Maybe such an approach would be worth a try and it is certain that the US could apply sufficient pressure to get such a notion off the ground.

not quite sure of the comparisons between northern ireland and southern thailand.

question: do you really think the US should get involved in islamic insurgency (many of thai origin) in the south of thailand?

it seems that the government of this country have never and are not doing all they could and are not really giving 'the troubles' down south much thought at all. occasionally they 'up' the numbers down there but that's about it. just thinking US involvement with what would seem to be such small numbers, would only further alienate them with the muslim masses.