BURNING ISSUE

Chalerm choice shows PM's ignorance of the South

Attayuth Bootsripoom

Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung

BANGKOK: -- The flare-up of insurgency attacks in the deep South has worried all sides - although 16 Muslim militants were killed in their failed attack against a Marine base in Narathiwat's Bacho district last week while the marines suffered no casualties.

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The authorities seemed to be victorious, but the magnitude of what happened should send shivers down the spines of security agencies. About 50 to 60 insurgents gathered to attack the base and this indicated there were over 100 people in their network as others certainly acted as their coordinators and several more had to watch out for escape routes for the assailants.

Had the militants not been so confident, they would not have launched such a blatant attack. Their confidence was surely influenced by their sentiment that the situation was ripe for them to fight against the authorities.

And just a few days after the killings of the militants, video clips have been widely distributed to portray them as martyrs. Worse still, the authorities were criticised for using excessive force. So the government has been placed on the defensive again and if nothing is done, the killings of the militants could be used to incite more hatred and attacks against the authorities.

Moreover, relatives of the dead militants admitted they knew their relatives were militants but they did not warn or ask them to stop. And the relatives even saw the slain militants as good people.

And a few days later, insurgents launched more attacks in Pattani, heightening the terror atmosphere.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra stayed aloof and distributed the responsibility among her deputies. She claimed she had to be in charge of the overall picture - but she has so far not taken any proactive move to try to solve the problems, apart from waiting for initiatives from officials in charge.

Worse still, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who has been assigned to supervise the deep South, admitted openly he did not want the assignment but had to take it because of the prime minister's order.

It turned out that after General Yutthasak Sasiprapha was removed as deputy prime minister, the government has no one capable enough to handle the southern situation so Chalerm was picked for the task.

The reluctant Chalerm did not have any initiatives or proactive policies, nor did he propose an operation plan to deal with the current situation. He even showed he was too afraid to visit the three southern border provinces. So far, he has visited the deep South only once and returned empty-handed from his recent trip to Malaysia.

His initial plan to impose curfews in certain areas showed that he was not well informed of the situation as statistics showed most attacks happened during the daytime.

Eventually, Chalerm had to hold a meeting with security agencies and cancelled the curfew plan due to strong opposition from the agencies.

But a few days later, Chalerm proposed the enforcement of the Internal Security Act in the deep South instead of the emergency decree. The ISA is much more lenient than the emergency decree.

His latest move prompted several people to wonder why his stand has changed from black to white in just a few days - from using the strictest law to the most lenient law - although the situation has not yet improved.

It seemed Chalerm has been coming to his own conclusions.

Despite the flared-up insurgency, Chalerm even declined to visit the deep South this week or next, claiming he had to help the Pheu Thai launch election campaigns for the Bangkok governor election. So critics have attacked him for failing to give top priority to the security issues.

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

-- The Nation 2013-02-21

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

Sometimes written as "The blind leading the blind"

Chalerm choice shows PM's ignorance of the South

Well done the Nation for this.

It's about time you wrote what many people having been thinking and have already known for a very long time.

Chalerm is dangerous. Beware.

Given Chalerm's comments on record about the south, you would be hard pushed to select a less suitable candidate

The orders to appoint Chalerm are so far removed from reality that you could imagine they come from a long way away. Dubai, even.

Get serious? "...the authorities were criticised for using excessive force..." These animal attack and 16 get popped and they have the gall to make this claim? The ass-wipes came with full intent to carry out murder. But I guess the bigger picture here is the abject inabilities and sheer stupidity, apart from the obvious cowardice of the PM and her chosen Policeman.

His latest move prompted several people to wonder why his stand has changed from black to white in just a few days - from using the strictest law to the most lenient law - although the situation has not yet improved.

Well, that didn't work out too well...about as successful as his recent comments that police accepting money is not corruption if its tradition.

Here's a scary thought: what if Khun Chalerm was the PM versus just a deputy PM...scary, huh?

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

I seem to remember last time our hero was in government and responsible for the south he flatly refused to visit the area as he feared for his life and was eventually dismissed from his post. Now he's back in government and is a prime example of Carl Marx' dictum ' those who fail to learn from history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them " or in other words just a normal day in Thai politics

.........Are his 90 days up yet?.....I'm sure all will be well. Chalerm Chalerm he's our man, if he can't do it no one can!

Get serious? "...the authorities were criticised for using excessive force..." These animal attack and 16 get popped and they have the gall to make this claim? The ass-wipes came with full intent to carry out murder. But I guess the bigger picture here is the abject inabilities and sheer stupidity, apart from the obvious cowardice of the PM and her chosen Policeman.

Agreed, and one of the sixteen apparently murdered a teacher in cold blood. There are well-known cases of un-prosecuted crimes by authorities in the region. It seems ridiculous to call putting down this ambush "excessive force".

At least the Nation finnaly published a decent article about the situation

in the troubled provinces...thay almost rate a well done from me. And I must

agree with member Pib...Chalerm as PM would be very scary. The man

couldn't lead a troop of school kids on a tour of a candy factory let alone

govern....anything.

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by sunshine51

Good article ! You could be forgiven for the thinking the press was independent !

At least the Nation finnaly published a decent article about the situation

in the troubled provinces...thay almost rate a well done from me. And I must

agree with member Pib...Chalerm as PM would be very scary. The man

couldn't lead a troop of school kids on a tour of a candy factory let alone

govern....anything.

Perhaps you had better pray that nothing happens to Yingluck as Chalerm is the FIRST Deputy PM and as such is nominally in charge when Yingluck is off shopping somewhere.

If someting did happen to her just think how many Deputy PMs would be in the bunfight.

I think there is method in their madness. The man in Dubai might want to rid himself of Chalerm who is a liability and actually doesn't want him to come home, since that would mean he would be pushed out of the limelight immediately and probably dealt with in the same way as Purachai was when he got too big for his boots. Send him down to the South and arrange for a spectacular assassination with only small fragments remaining to make it harder to investigate who was behind it. Chalerm is gone forever, .while the government has an excellent excuse for an extremely robust crackdown in the South. Perfect.

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by Arkady

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

And you would have sent who down to sort out the souths problems.

From memory this problem has been going on for a lot of years, thousands killed/murdered and a lot of governments have changed positions during all this time.

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

And you would have sent who down to sort out the souths problems.

From memory this problem has been going on for a lot of years, thousands killed/murdered and a lot of governments have changed positions during all this time.

As long as you're promoting me to Prime Minister, I wouldn't have sent anyone.

I would go myself.

How about you? Who would you send in lieu of Chalerm? Or do you think he's the best choice and that Yingluck was wise to have selected him?

.

Edited February 21, 201313 yr by Buchholz

So far, he has visited the deep South only once and returned empty-handed from his recent trip to Malaysia.

Even worse. Empty-handed and with a hangover.

What happened to Pentagon II?

Obviously this Chalerm has no shame or even concept of it. He can't deal with a very serious problem

in the country but rather it's more important to get one of his buddies elected governor of Bangkok.

This should speak volumes to the people but since no one listens any way it just goes on.

just pathetic, shameful, despicable and this list goes on. Thailand really needs to start developing minds

before they even start to consider themselves a developing country.

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

I seem to remember last time our hero was in government and responsible for the south he flatly refused to visit the area as he feared for his life and was eventually dismissed from his post. Now he's back in government and is a prime example of Carl Marx' dictum ' those who fail to learn from history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them " or in other words just a normal day in Thai politics

Actually, it was George Santayana who originally said this and his quote was,"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Santayana was born in the mid-19th Century, so it is possible that the none too erudite Karl Marx MAY have misquoted Santayana - but I don't think so.

Chalerm? What an indictment of Thailand to have this man free on the streets let alone as Thailand's deputy Prime Minister.

Surely, Taksin makes Thais make fools out of Thais.

The orders to appoint Chalerm are so far removed from reality that you could imagine they come from a long way away. Dubai, even.

That may be the point. It may be his one way ticket out of parliament if he can't craft together what's necessary.

The orders to appoint Chalerm are so far removed from reality that you could imagine they come from a long way away. Dubai, even.

That may be the point. It may be his one way ticket out of parliament if he can't craft together what's necessary.

We can only hope so. Get rid of this freaking drunk.

He is so clueless that he is re-instituting the democrats strategies. Well I guess someone has to tie his shoe laces.......

I have a long memory. It seems to me no politician has ever developed a workable plan with the objective of bringing peace to the southern extremities of Thailand.

Although a secular state in name no attempt to addresse the needs of the people. administatively, academically, socially, or financially inaccorance with the tennets of their faith.

Until the politicians attempt to understand the heartfelt anguish of the people their can be no solution.

I have a long memory. It seems to me no politician has ever developed a workable plan with the objective of bringing peace to the southern extremities of Thailand.

Although Thailand is a secular state no attempt has been made by any politician to addresse the needs of the people. administatively, academically, socially, or financially inaccordance with the tennets of the peoples faith.

Until the politicians attempt to understand the heartfelt anguish of the people of the South there cannot be a solution.

I have a long memory. It seems to me no politician has ever developed a workable plan with the objective of bringing peace to the southern extremities of Thailand.

Although Thailand is a secular state no attempt has been made by any politician to addresse the needs of the people. administatively, academically, socially, or financially inaccordance with the tennets of the peoples faith.

Until the politicians attempt to understand the heartfelt anguish of the people of the South there cannot be a solution.

Their is a good opinion piece in the Bangkok Post on the economic aspect of grievances by Muslims in the Deep South - do a search on "Get tough with trawlers, win over Muslims"

So far, he has visited the deep South only once and returned empty-handed from his recent trip to Malaysia.

Even worse. Empty-handed and with a hangover.

I don´t think he even remember he was there, due to overdose of ear-medicine.

And you would have sent who down to sort out the souths problems.

From memory this problem has been going on for a lot of years, thousands killed/murdered and a lot of governments have changed positions during all this time.

As long as you're promoting me to Prime Minister, I wouldn't have sent anyone.

I would go myself.

Indeed. Some people have been lauding Yingluck's alleged abilities in restoring peace. Let's see them.

As a guess I'd say it is due to the popularity of Yingluck and her ability to restore peace to the country.

And Chalerm's failures obviously reflect Yingluck's little care and attention toward the southern situation. Had she really cared, she would not have assigned such an important task to Chalerm.

the clueless assigning the clueless

.

Sometimes written as "The blind leading the blind"

Or the fool speaking for the foolish.

There is nothing like a coordinated plan for this, it is just reactionary twaddle.