Thailand To Build Fences Along Malaysia Border

[george]

Thailand to build fences along Malaysia border

BANGKOK: - Thailand will build security fences along part of its 650-km (400-mile) border with Malaysia to try to stop militant Muslims escaping after attacking Thai forces, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Tuesday.

The army would build the fences across suspected escape routes used by militants in predominantly Buddhist Thailand's largely Muslim south, where a new wave of violence began last month when gunmen raided an army base, he said.

"We will focus on areas with cross-border smuggling problems which are not too many. We don't have to build fences all along the entire 600-km border," Thaksin told reporters in Bangkok.

A massive security operation has failed to catch the gunmen who stole more than 100 weapons, mostly M-16 assault rifles, in the attack, or the people who set ablaze 21 state schools in an operation officials believe was a diversion.

Since then, several Buddhist monks and police and civil servants of both religions have been killed by machete-wielding raiders or gunmen.

Some officials believe those behind the attacks may have links to Jemaah Islamiah, widely regarded as the Southeast Asian branch of al Qaeda.

In the latest border incident last Saturday, two people were shot dead in the southern province of Narathiwat province while Thaksin was talking to officials about how to halt the violence.

Police believe the attackers were connected to apparently resurgent separatist groups in a region that is home to most of Thailand's six million Muslims, almost 10 percent of the population. The attackers fled after the ambush.

Thaksin has said the government would pour money into the south, focusing on economic development in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces near the Malaysian border, where a low-key separatist insurgency was fought in the 1970s and 1980s.

"I will spend about three years making them places for tourism, investments and jobs," Thaksin said in his weekly radio address on Saturday. "People will also have better education."

--Reuters 2004-02-17

[cdnvic]

I'm picturing a dejected looking Osama turning back towards his Malaysian hideout when he comes face to face with a chainlink fence.

Didn't the PM ever read about how useless the great wall of China was?

cv

[tuky]

Didn't the PM ever read about how useless the great wall of China was?

It is very effective now though

Amazing Thailand, Amazing Fence TAT next promotion?

[Axel]

The problem with Khun T., he does not like farangs. Otherwise he would ask Mexico how efficient their fence is to avoid people running from the US. Or was it the other way round? Anyway, great fence!

[Nam Kao]

Fences wont work, they belong in cages

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm picturing a dejected looking Osama turning back towards his Malaysian hideout when he comes face to face with a chainlink fence.

Didn't the PM ever read about how useless the great wall of China was?

cv

He is an independent thinker...and never influenced by the thoughts of others.

[samran]

The problem with Khun T., he does not like farangs.

Don't believe the hype on this one. Dear Leader has one or two political farang advisors.

The problem with Dear Leader is, he only likes sycophants (sp?) and people he can control.

[plachon]

Surprised no one's mentioned the similarities between this wall of exclusion and Israel's wall across the Occupied Territories of Palestine, to keep out the "terrorists". Doomed to failure and creating more mistrust and walls in the minds of local people who will be negatively impacted.

It also makes a bit of a joke of moves towards Asean unity and single market claims. If they were serious about creating a single market they wouldn't be building walls at this stage and for certain, one would be able to change baht into ringgit and vice versa in state banks (try changing Baht outside money changers and the black market in Penang!).

Reality is, our man is such a control freak that he even proposed building a massive fence round the biggest national park in Thailand - Huay Kha Kaeng - "to keep the animals in and the people out. Raving mad pal!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I wonder whether he has lotsa real friends...strange, strange man. Meglomaniac I suspect.

[Up2U]

And again, as well as the Israeli wall, what about the British wall - the 'Peace Wall' in Belfast, to keep the Prods and Tims from each other's throats.

And the Berlin Wall.

And Hadrians Wall.

There's plenty of prior examples - but I still prefer the canal solution.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

And again, as well as the Israeli wall, what about the British wall - the 'Peace Wall' in Belfast, to keep the Prods and Tims from each other's throats.

And the Berlin Wall.

And Hadrians Wall.

There's plenty of prior examples - but I still prefer the canal solution.

How many old walls still exist functionally ?

[george]

Follow-up:

Thaksin wants fences along border

The Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, seems eager to copy Israel. The Thai PM has told the army chief to erect fences along the border with Malaysia, to prevent separatists hiding out there crossing back, to cause trouble in the deep South. General Chaisit Shinawatra, the army chief (related indeed), said Mr. Thaksin was unhappy that people on both sides of the frontier could cross back and forth without going through border checkpoints. Last night another civilian was killed in the Deep South of Thailand.

We do not criticize the fact that Mr. Thaksin wants to get better control over the border movements. We do criticize the fact, however, that he tries to do this the Israeli way or, to go back a bit further in history, the Russian way. Nobody anywhere in the world has pleasant memories of the Berlin wall and it looks as if the Israeli wall or fence will neither meet much enthusiasm worldwide.

We wonder if Mr. Thaksin is now preparing a "Thai wall" and wants to reach the world press in that way. If so, we predict that he will not meet much acclaim internationally.

--Hasekamp.net

[george]

International media follow-up:

Thai premier proposes fence to foil separatists

Thaksin Shinawatra, prime minister of Thailand, has proposed building a fence along the country's southern border with Malaysia as a means of preventing separatists in the volatile southern Thai provinces from eluding capture by escaping across the border.

Mr Thaksin, who made a weekend visit to the predominantly Muslim region, also warned Islamic schools that failure to fly the Thai flag over their campuses would be interpreted as treason, local newspapers reported.

Mr Thaksin's tough talk reflects Bangkok's ongoing struggle to quell increasing bloodshed in the south. About 20 state employees, including police officers, local officials and telephone repairmen, as well as three Buddhist monks, have been slain in recent weeks, despite a heavy military presence.

Another 15 people, some of whom have been hacked by machete-wielding attackers, have been seriously wounded in the violent spree, which has spread terror across the region, especially among government school teachers.

Thailand's deep south, home to most of the country's estimated 6m Malay- speaking Muslims, has been under martial law since January 4 when a group of about 60 armed men attacked an army camp, killing four soldiers and seizing at least 100 assault rifles.

After initially blaming the raid on "bandits" and weapons smugglers, Mr Thaksin accused Muslim separatists, and called for a swift crackdown on Islamic schools, which he suggested could be fomenting militancy and separatist sentiment.

Since then, the army's heavy-handed searches of Islamic schools, the questioning of Islamic preachers and the government's frequent insinuation of Muslim disloyalty have fuelled tension and resentment.

Moderate Muslim community leaders last week registered their dismay at the government's tactics, declaring that they would no longer co-operate with Bangkok in its efforts to restore law and order. However, moderate leaders have since ended their boycott, after army leaders apologised for raiding an Islamic school.

Muslim leaders have appealed for a swift end to martial law but Bangkok has rebuffed such requests, saying the military had to provide full security for civilians in the region.

Mr Thaksin has vowed to eradicate separatist sentiment within three years by bringing economic development and fresh opportunities to the region. He has also said he will impose tighter controls on Islamic schools and reduce their number.

--Financial Times 2004-02-18

[george]

Follow-up:

Click to listen to interview

Security fence on the Thai side of the border with Malaysia

Why is Thailand planning to build a security fence along its border with Malaysia? And will this address the root causes of violence in Southern Thailand?

The death toll from a wave of violence in Thailand's Muslim-majority south has risen to 42.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called for an emergency security meeting recently (Thursday) to discuss the crisis, which since the beginning of the year has seen 95 attacks against security forces, government officials and monks.

The explosion of violence in the five southern provinces, home to most of Thailand's Muslims which make up five percent of the population, began with a January 4 raid on a Narathiwat arms depot which killed four soldiers.

Thaksin has blamed Islamic separatists for the unrest, but other ministers have pointed the finger towards criminal gangs linked to politicians.

In any case as part of efforts to curb unrest in the region, Prime Minister Thaksin said Thailand would build a security fence along sections of its border with Malaysia. For more on this, Augustine Anthuvan spoke to Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sihasak Phuangketkeow in Bangkok.

"The idea of the fence is an initial idea that was mentioned by Prime Minister Thaksin when he gave an interview to the press. We have not officially proposed this to the Malaysian side that we’re working out the details. But I also want to point out that while the idea of the fence is important. But I think what is important from the Thai side, right now if we talk about strengthening security along the border is to promote economic development along the border area. And this is the focus of our efforts right now to work with the Malaysian side on projects that would promote the well being of people along the border area. So we’re not just talking about short term remedy, we’re talking about long term solution that will enhance security along the border area”.

The troubled provinces, where a low-key separatist insurgency was fought in the 1970s and 1980s, are strung along a narrow peninsula and separated from Malaysia only by a porous border which can be easily crossed without passing through checkpoints.

Dr. John Funston, Associate Director of the National Thai Studies Centre,Australian National University in Canberra offers this background leading up to the violence in January in Southern Thailand.

There've been a series of developments that have occurred in the last couple of years which together have had the effect of increasing Muslim concerns, Muslim solidarity and increasing the perception in the south that their interests have been overlooked.

In an effort to address wide ranging concerns of the Muslims in the South, Prime Minister Thaksin said the government would pour money into the south, focusing on economic development in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces near the Malaysian border.

Thaksin in his recent weekly radio address said he'll spend about three years making them places for tourism, investments and jobs.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sihasak Phuangketkeow.

Beyond the proposed building of a security fence along parts of the border with Malaysia, the long term solution of dialogue, economic development that sees the active involvement of local Muslim leaders and the clergy, might just pave the way forward for long-term peace and stability in Southern Thailand.

Click to listen to interview

--Radio Singapore 2004-02-23

[Suzy]

It's all just a plan to keep the tourists out!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Make a bit of sense here...or it'll close

[cdnvic]

The canal idea sounds good in theory, but as I've noticed up here at the other end of the country, bandits, drug dealers, smugglers, etc, are not the least detered from the Mekong River so I don't think its a big security improvement.

Would bugger the Singaporeans though

Till Thaksin screwed it up anyways...

cv

[mrvietnam2001]

Judging by how the Thais have tried to control the evil "drug" problem, perhaps they should just shoot the people crossing the border .

Cheaper, no?

Mr Vietnam

[Wash]

A fence in the South, and a new Bridge in the North, and change the Internet in between the two extremes. So nothing goes out to the south, but anything can go to the North, and communications with the world stays inside the country by calling the Intranet under the name of Internet. Go figure!!!

[samran]

While a nice idea, the Canal is vigouroulsly opposed as the people who are pushing it are very closely associated with the Mafia. We're not talking about normal corruption here, we are talking about building a pet project for many underworld linked figures in government and business.

Building it, and the contract dollars that will flow from it, will go straight into their already very dirty pockets.

[ASIC]

There was a very persistent rumour some years ago, that Singapore paid a really large sum of money under the table to a Thai politician to prevent the canal. Whether it's true or not, I don't know, but both Singaporeans and Thais alike were whispering about it.

ASIC

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There was a very persistent rumour some years ago, that Singapore paid a really large sum of money under the table to a Thai politician to prevent the canal. Whether it's true or not, I don't know, but both Singaporeans and Thais alike were whispering about it.

ASIC

Why would Singapore care. It is an island state.

[george]

Follow-up:

Border fence

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked the Armed Forces Development Command to put up a fence and build a road along the Thai-Malaysian border to stop terrorists, smugglers and illegal immigrants entering the country.

The mesh fence and the road will stretch 90 kilometres along the border in Sungai Kolok district, Narathiwat.

Lt-Gen Pitsanu Ourailert, head of the Joint Directorate for Civil Affairs, said the fence would be built where illegal crossings were prevalent. The road would allow the border to be patrolled.

--Bangkok Post 2004-03-14