PM Prayut: Peace in Thai South by 2015

[webfact]

Prayut: Peace in South by 2015

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha has vowed to end southern violence within one year, before Thailand enters the Asean Economic Community (AEC) to be created at the end of 2015.

Gen Prayut made his remark after delivering a farewell message as the army chief at the Nakhon Si Thammarat-based Vajiravudh army camp on Sunday (September 28).

He sought cooperation from all branches of the media, saying they should not use the term "movement" to describe those who carry out violent attacks in the far South. He said only a minority of individuals are involved.

He said the government must end the southern violence before the country joins the regional community and more people from other countries begin travelling to Thailand. Unless peace is restored to the deep South by then, there could be even more problems, said Gen Prayut.

The government would place more emphasis on negotiations to achieve long-term peace. Gen Prayut had urged past governments to deal with the insurgency problem differently, he said.

Peace talks must include many stakeholders in the conflict, said the prime minister, adding that moves to kick-start the negotiations again were going well.

The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, which is well-versed in the problems in the deep South, and newly-appointed Fourth Army Corp commander Lt Gen Kitti Inthasorn have been assigned to handle the southern unrest.

National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Thawil Pliensri said on Friday (September 26) the Thai authorities have no policy to resort to violence to retaliate against insurgents. He insisted the government is ready to sit down with those who have differing views from the state.

Mr Thawil said informal talks have carried on continuously, but they are not in the news. He added the NSC will try to remove obstacles to the renewal of formal peace talks by taking measures to build more trust between Thai authorities and insurgent groups.

Meanwhile, a core militant held responsible for a string of attacks in the deep South was killed in an exchange of fire with government forces in Panare district of Pattani province early yesterday (September 28).

A combined force of rangers and border patrol police laid siege to a house in Bang Maruad village in tambon Ban Klang of Panare district to look for suspects wanted in insurgency-related cases.

When they arrived, militants in the house opened fire and tried to break through the cordon. A brief exchange of fire ensued.

Found dead after the clash was Ahamad Dueramae, 28, of Pattani's Thung Yang Daeng district, who was wanted on a number of arrest warrants for various attacks, including the assassination of four soldiers in Pattani's Mayo district in 2012 and the attack on a government checkpoint at Ban Nam Dam in Thung Yang Daeng district on July 17.

The authorities also arrested Aliyasa Samo, of Panare district, wanted on seven arrest warrants. They seized from him a pistol and five rounds of ammunition.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/prayut-peace-in-south-by-2015-48923.php


-- Phuket News 2014-09-29

[sjjmmi]

Good luck with that then

[Artisi]

Not wanting to be negative, however it will be a major up-hill battle, I wish him well.

[xminator]

Peace on earth in 2016?

[Fat Haggis]

I'd rather he stopped making stupid remarks as every time he's opening his mouth in recent weeks he's put his size 9's in it!!

Fix one thing at a time how about ending the mafias control of Koh Tao and sack that bungling bumbling Police chief for starters!!

[Lannig]

Hadn't Thaksin made almost exactly the same promise with the outcome we know? this sentence sounds familiar to me...

Apart from granting them some kind of autonomy (something I highly doubt he would even consider) or applying some kind of state terror, like Tak Bai on a larger scale, I can see no way of reaching this extraordinarily ambitious and irrealistic goal within a year.

Time will tell.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Lannig

[Costas2008]

I hope and I wish with all my heart that he knows what he is talking about.

[Thailand]

I think a new scriptwriter is desperately required.

[chotthee]

Southern Muslims should return Happiness to the Real Thai people, by obeying the commend of the Great Supreme Leader General Prime Minister Prayuth.

He shall provide security and protection in return.

[clockman]

Very dangerous statement to make? I wish them luck.

[Upset]

Will people who cannot achieve this be moved to inactive posts by the dateline?

[jimbeam1]

I'd rather he stopped making stupid remarks as every time he's opening his mouth in recent weeks he's put his size 9's in it!!

Fix one thing at a time how about ending the mafias control of Koh Tao and sack that bungling bumbling Police chief for starters!!

Yes this person is really beginning to worry me.

Also if he is no longer in the military,how can he be the leader of the country. Has a General the right to take power in a military coup, declare himself PM then resign his military commission. Looks like he needs to be very careful. Unless this is where the old pals act comes in ti play.

jb1

[Smurkster]

this will then be followed by Arabs/Israelis joining hands and singing Kumbaya in 2016!

[Smurkster]

I'd rather he stopped making stupid remarks as every time he's opening his mouth in recent weeks he's put his size 9's in it!!

Fix one thing at a time how about ending the mafias control of Koh Tao and sack that bungling bumbling Police chief for starters!!

Has a General the right to take power in a military coup, declare himself PM then resign his military commission.

apparently so...

[outsider]

Good luck sir, General sir! I hope you know what you're talking about.

[Lupatria]

...and the first Thai on the moon the same year in autumn.

[trainman34014]

All the Muslim fighters are leaving to join IS...the pay is better. With any luck the majority will get vapourised and no return. End of problem !

[rickirs]

"He insisted the government is ready to sit down with those who have differing views from the state."

Interesting offer to the Malay-Thais as under the current martial law the rest of Thai people seem prevented from doing the same. But notice he said "ready to sit down" and not "ready to listen." So a conversation might go something like this:

"Have you found your seat?"

"Yes."

"Please have a seat."

then,

"You can leave now and thank you for coming."

Next?

[mikemellow]

If the PM is afraid to use force in the south how is he actually going to control the problem? How many centuries have the Indians been trying to solve their muslim problem? If he is writing love stories for the TV maybe he will be too busy to have a real war in the south if the country is attacted by a radical group.

[ratcatcher]

Prayuth: Peace in South by 2015

[Smiles]

There will be bound to be improvements for the South. Those that are feeling otherwise can go to their toilet and fart away those vile toxin that has been reacting in thier idle brains!

[englishoak]

Its what dreams are made of............

[chickenslegs]

Well at least he hasn't vowed to cut off his own head if he fails.

[Leung Falang]

The story goes that the North Vietnamese went to France for negotiations with us on ending the war and rented quarters for 3 years while we "smart" Americans rented quarters for 3 months.

Setting a time table is never in one's best interest.

We all wish progress for peace but with Muslims in most parts of the world, their demands are never ending. Can this be different? Hope is not a plan....

[Ozziepat]

How many times does it have to be repeated? You CANNOT negotiate with radical Muslims. It's their way or nothing. I expect there is a less radical faction in the south; but they will not control the radicals, merely use them tacitly to gain leverage while disavowing any responsibility for continuing terrorism. This tactic has been repeated in many middle-eastern conflict areas - Palestine to name one of the more obvious. How are those peace negotiations coming along?

Edited September 29, 2014 by Ozziepat

[JOC]

Made me think of our old friend and Thaivisa darling!!

[Smurkster]

There will be bound to be improvements for the South. Those that are feeling otherwise can go to their toilet and fart away those vile toxin that has been reacting in thier idle brains

Oh?

[Bob12345]

Not smart to give a deadline here.

Its like stating to the press that you will buy one particular property before the year ends and then you go there for negotiations. Guess what happened to the price of the property between the time you made your statement and the time you came over? He just gave all power to the other side and they can now demand anything in return for peace.

[northernjohn]

I'd rather he stopped making stupid remarks as every time he's opening his mouth in recent weeks he's put his size 9's in it!!

Fix one thing at a time how about ending the mafias control of Koh Tao and sack that bungling bumbling Police chief for starters!!

With all due respect that is a pretty small minded thing to say. Have you any idea of the number of problems he is facing. He has already said that after the next elections there will still be a lot of work to do.

I tend to agree with you that in my mind he is being over optimistic with the problem in the south. But on the other hand he is going to try to talk with the groups involved in it. Not the burned out groups that are to old to carry on with it and have not been active for awhile.

I have said it before and I will say it again. The government must win the trust of the people then they will have a chance. Even then there is still the threat of Islam hanging over the area. But with the people trusting the government that will be greatly reduced.

[simple1]

How many times does it have to be repeated? You CANNOT negotiate with radical Muslims. It's their way or nothing. I expect there is a less radical faction in the south; but they will not control the radicals, merely use them tacitly to gain leverage while disavowing any responsibility for continuing terrorism. This tactic has been repeated in many middle-eastern conflict areas - Palestine to name one of the more obvious. How are those peace negotiations coming along?

Nine different groups operating in the deep South, more than likely all will have differing agendas