Govt hopes to bring peace back to deep South
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- PM's Office Minister Suwapan Tanyuwattana said yesterday that the government was hoping to restore peace in the deep South, adding that preparations were being made to conduct peace talks with insurgents.

He also said Thai security officers were working to narrow the chance for insurgents launching attacks in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces, where 1,000 insurgents were reportedly equipped with stolen weapons.

In related news, ranger Sergeant Thaweewat Onkwanphetch, 29, succumbed to fatal injuries yesterday that he sustained from a motorcycle bomb in front of the main train station in Narathiwat's Rusoh district on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses described the two bomb suspects as men in their 20s dressed in Muslim attire. The bomb wounded nine people, including Thaweewat and two other rangers.

The ranger's bathing rites were held at a temple in Narathiwat's Muang district yesterday afternoon and his funeral was to be held in Songkhla's Saba Yoi district. Maj-General Lerchai Maleerat, deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4's front command presented a Bang Rajan medal and Bt1 million in assistance money to Thaweewat's mother Nuloy. He was also prompted post-mortem to the post of colonel.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Govt-hopes-to-bring-peace-back-to-deep-South-30255670.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-10

Hope springs eternal.

I do not care who is incharge of the government, the same thing always happens. When the south wants something, like new schools they get them because they burm them down. If they want the army to leave they kill more people to get the army to leave. This has been going on for over 30 years now it will not stop.

As Defence Minister Prawit said last July that they will bring peace within a year. They still have 3 months and well within the time frame. There will be reasons and excuses when time is up like too busy with the imaginary threats in Bangkok.

Of all agencies, none prosper more from the southern irreconcilable differences than the military.

And what about that soldier that kiled a boy and put a gun in the kid's hand to frame him for violence...

The sound of silence. Key up crickets and a happy sunset as Auld Lang Syne plays..now a quick shot of older Thai woman dabbing tears....

Cut.

"preparations were being made to conduct peace talks with insurgents."

The military has been doing this for three decades. But not once has it got the insurgents to peace talks. The closest came during Yingluck's regime when she excluded the military from peace talks and transferred Thawil out of the NSC for "no specific reasons" to be replaced with her brother-in-law; NSC was the military group heading the peace talks smilar to NCPO. But the Supreme court held Thawil's transfer was illegal and the military removed Yingluck from government.

The Junta really has no plan for peace talks and I can't blame them. Why bother when the military is incapable of making any concessions necessary for a peace agreement. NCPO's approach has been the insurgents unconditionally surrender, and at some point later it will lead negotiations on its terms.

If the Thai government could ever solve the problem of a minority muslim population in a non-muslim country, they would be the first. So I hold out no great hopes.

There is no end to the squabbling over land that wants to be 100% Muslim and broken away from Thailand. From my understanding, going

back near the end of the 2nd WW, Britain gave this land to Thailand, or allowed Thailand to incorporate it. As the number of Muslims increased in size, they wanted more and more control of the land. The Thai government would not budge on what they wanted. So instead, they beefed up the Army

down there, which made things worse. A small group of muslims demand so much now it would completely change the graphics of the area, making it hard

to distingues what is Thailand and what is Malaysia. What they want is out of the Land of Smiles. This will never have a solution both sides can agree on.

"preparations were being made to conduct peace talks with insurgents."

The military has been doing this for three decades. But not once has it got the insurgents to peace talks. The closest came during Yingluck's regime when she excluded the military from peace talks and transferred Thawil out of the NSC for "no specific reasons" to be replaced with her brother-in-law; NSC was the military group heading the peace talks smilar to NCPO. But the Supreme court held Thawil's transfer was illegal and the military removed Yingluck from government.

The Junta really has no plan for peace talks and I can't blame them. Why bother when the military is incapable of making any concessions necessary for a peace agreement. NCPO's approach has been the insurgents unconditionally surrender, and at some point later it will lead negotiations on its terms.

Yep Yingluck did a wonderful job didn't she.

She put deputy PM Chalerm in charge and he was going to sort it out in 90 days, as he did with everything else.

Only one problem he was scared to go down there because it was dangerous.

But he did go to Malaysia to talk about it, where he made drunken fool of himself :

Care to remind us Rob who the CIC of the Army was at the time whose tactics failed to stop the attacks during his tenure as the big cheese?

Politicians starts wars, soldiers fight them and politicians end them. Same same the world over!!

Robbie, has Prayuth visited the south troubled provinces yet. Just asking.

Robbie, has Prayuth visited the south troubled provinces yet. Just asking.

He is not in charge Eric the general he put in charge has on several occasions.

Care to remind us Rob who the CIC of the Army was at the time whose tactics failed to stop the attacks during his tenure as the big cheese?

Politicians starts wars, soldiers fight them and politicians end them. Same same the world over!!

\

You mean Yingluck the minister of defense ?

The defenders of the reds may be interested in this little gem from almost10 years back which gives an insight into the escalation of violence in the south.

Thaksin stokes further conflict in southern Thailand

The full story here read for yourself :

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2004/11/thai-n26.html

A snip:

The provocative actions of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra since the murder of at least 87 unarmed protestors by the military at Tak Bai in southern Thailand on October 25 have ensured there will be further violence. Thaksin has not only refused to apologise for the killings, but made clear that the Thai military will be intensifying its campaign of repression and intimidation in the predominantly Muslim region.

From what I have read recently some of those perpetrating the violence in the south are still saying they are doing it in revenge for Tak Bai.