Insurgency: Prem calls for steps to end mistrust in the South

[webfact]

INSURGENCY
Prem calls for steps to end mistrust in the South
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- MANY PEOPLE in the deep South have blamed the insurgency violence on perceived social class divisions, Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda said yesterday.

Prem suggested that such a misunderstanding, as well as mistrust between followers of different religions, should be addressed urgently in order to tackle the problem.

He said the findings came from a survey of young residents from the Muslim-majority southern border provinces taking part in the "San Jai Thai Soo Jai Tai" project, which brings youngsters from the region to visit Bangkok every year.

The youngsters were asked to identify the problems they thought should be solved. A report of the survey results was made available to Prem, who said he had read the report a few times.

"The problem of insurgency in the three southern border provinces has been linked to the division of social classes," Prem said.

"There is some misunderstanding about this. We have to understand that there is no social classes or division of classes, Buddhist Thais or Muslim Thais," he said.

"I am worried about this. Communities have no mutual caring and people fight for personal gain. This has led to mistrust between people of different religions," he said, referring to Buddhists and Muslims.

The Privy Council chief said the authorities should not allow any misunderstanding among locals to continue.

He commended Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) secretary-general Panu Uthairat for carrying out the survey in order to help the authorities know what the local youths viewed as problems. "But we also have to correct the children," he added.

Prem, a former prime minister, was speaking at the opening of the 23rd class of the project at the Army Club yesterday morning.

Also present were privy councillor General Surayud Chulanont and representatives from the Armed Forces, the ministries of Interior and Education, and the SBPAC.

This year, the project brought 240 children from five southern border provinces - Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun - to Bangkok.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prem-calls-for-steps-to-end-mistrust-in-the-South-30257801.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-10

[ezzra]

Nothing to do with mistrust, Islam and Muslim want to control and regain their past glory,

young kids are thought to hate everything and every one and that the others are trying

to rob them of the rightful land and what not..

there is massive power play here, funded and supported by other countries or other

religious agendas, loss of life and sufferings means nothing to them, just like ISIS

and Jubhat Al Nusra and Al Shabab, killings and more killings is the answer,

[tomross46]

Thank you General Prem. There is allot of mistrust through the world. Some of the mistrust here in Thailand is being fueled by external factions, some religious, some politically connected influential people.

[arrowsdawdle]

So now they are bringing kids from the south for attitude adjustments.

[arrowsdawdle]

Thank you General Prem. There is allot of mistrust through the world. Some of the mistrust here in Thailand is being fueled by external factions, some religious, some politically connected influential people.

Some, yes, but the majority is fueled by feudal sakdina class division and overthrown elections.

[JOC]

Maybe Gen Prem, a very strong supporter of the army and army led governments, should ask his friends in uniform to publicly apologize for the Bak Tai Massacre??

That might create a more peaceful south....................

[NeilSA1]

So now they are bringing kids from the south for attitude adjustments.

Every year?

"....brings youngsters from the region to visit Bangkok every year....."

[geriatrickid]

So says the man whose policies helped fuel the sectarian strife.

I wish him the strength to go and spread his message in Pattani. Maybe he can take the newly minted holy man Suthep with him.

[GinBoy2]

Prem, the Southern Insurgency are simply symptoms of the underlining problem the country has with the ethnic mix of the country. Prem and all of the Bangkok ruling elite have persisted with the myth of 'Thainess' and enforced, sometimes brutally a vision of national unity.

The South with the added dimension of a muslim identify creates a tinderbox, given the suppression of language and cultural identity. A lot of the simmering tension in the north and northeast are rooted in the same problem, maybe the Bangkok centered elite should be thankful that they at least are all Buddhist.

Language & Religion are are strong unifying forces for better or worse. When a State such as Thailand, which is comprised of various ethnicities forged through conflict or coercion tries to erase those differences through force, the outcome is always inevitable.

Multi ethnic/religious countries that do survive however are the ones that acknowledge and embrace the diversity.

As for Prem, well I'm not so sure that he's ready for that just yet.

[Srikcir]

"But we also have to correct the children,"

Implied brainwashing?

Perhaps much more achievable than correcting the Thai military and Junta-led government. Such an effort would anyways be a conflict of interest for the Prem.

[billd766]

Maybe Gen Prem, a very strong supporter of the army and army led governments, should ask his friends in uniform to publicly apologize for the Bak Tai Massacre??

That might create a more peaceful south....................

Perhaps the PM at the time, one Thaksin Shinawatra, should also apologise for Tak Bai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tak_Bai_incident

quote "

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths, but he insisted there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel.^[9]

On 2 November 2006, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for Thaksin's policies in the south,^[10] and two days later the charges against the surviving protesters were dropped.^[11] The Asian Human Rights Commission called for prosecutions, stating, "After two years, the apology is welcome, but investigation and prosecution is imperative."^[12]

A 2009 inquest found that security officials had performed their duty without wrongdoing. Family members attempted to appeal the decision, but their appeal was denied in June 2012. As of October 2012, no charges had been filed against the security officials involved in the deaths.^[13] In 2012, the Thai government offered reparations to family members of the victims.^[13]

Try doing a little research before you post.

[Pi Sek]

Nothing to do with mistrust, Islam and Muslim want to control and regain their past glory,

young kids are thought to hate everything and every one and that the others are trying

to rob them of the rightful land and what not..

there is massive power play here, funded and supported by other countries or other

religious agendas, loss of life and sufferings means nothing to them, just like ISIS

and Jubhat Al Nusra and Al Shabab, killings and more killings is the answer,

Another completely ignorant post, from one of the same voices who jumps on any post relating to the Deep South with "they're Muslim, they want to kill the rest of us". It has everything to do with mistrust.

Try reading the news. 4 kids were just murdered for no reason by an official paramilitary unit, who tried to plant weapons on them to make it look like these 4 academic kids, who happened to be Muslim, were terrorists... so that the uneducated masses, like Khun "ezzra", can justify state-sanctioned murder, which they wouldn't be able to do if they were a decent human being. Luckily for truth, justice and in furtherance of education, the state refused to sanction it rather than putting it down to fasting or such other rubbish like we've seen in the past.

[Seastallion]

Nothing to do with mistrust, Islam and Muslim want to control and regain their past glory,

young kids are thought to hate everything and every one and that the others are trying

to rob them of the rightful land and what not..

there is massive power play here, funded and supported by other countries or other

religious agendas, loss of life and sufferings means nothing to them, just like ISIS

and Jubhat Al Nusra and Al Shabab, killings and more killings is the answer,

You yourself should question what you have been taught.

Get a grip.

[Robby nz]

It is difficult not to mistrust those who would kill teachers, nurses and school children and plant bombs in markets to indiscriminately kill and maim anyone who happens to be there.

Yes the military have made mistake in combatting these so called insurgents, read terrorists, including the recent killing of the 4 innocents.

But what are they supposed to do, let them carry on with their killing spree whatever they say their motivation is ?

Those who kill and refuse negotiation need to be hunted down.

[exona]

Looks like he's taken a fancy to one of them.

[jayboy]

It is difficult not to mistrust those who would kill teachers, nurses and school children and plant bombs in markets to indiscriminately kill and maim anyone who happens to be there.

Yes the military have made mistake in combatting these so called insurgents, read terrorists, including the recent killing of the 4 innocents.

But what are they supposed to do, let them carry on with their killing spree whatever they say their motivation is ?

Those who kill and refuse negotiation need to be hunted down.

We see here the same level of intelligence, deep insight and sophistication that this member has brought to bear on other problems facing Thailand.It is particularly astute of him to label all those opposed to Bangkok's hegemony as terrorists.Equally he provides compelling evidence we should have unqualified approval for the military's killings regardless of circumstances ( as elsewhere in the Kingdom).

And yet the problems of Southern Thailand are hardly unique.i can see a number of parallels with Northern Ireland for example.The religious and cultural differences provide context but the insurgency is about nationalism.Ultimately Bangkok representatives will have to sit down with (hardliners probably) of the Malay nationalist movement, people do not give a toss about the doddering Prem, the virtues of Thainess or any of the usual associated voodoo.

Problem is we still don't know who are the real leaders of the movement or what their agenda is ( in this sense rather different from the IRA ).On the plus side I see no evidence the movement has been internationalised - though obviously this a future worry.There seems no enthusiasm for uniting with Malaysia so the shape any settlement would seem to involve quasi independence and a distinct cultural identity within the Thai State.Not impossible with goodwill on both sides.

Do I think the Thai military and Bangkok political establishment have the necessary vision and intelligence to see this through? Answers on a postcard please.

[JOC]

Maybe Gen Prem, a very strong supporter of the army and army led governments, should ask his friends in uniform to publicly apologize for the Bak Tai Massacre??

That might create a more peaceful south....................

Perhaps the PM at the time, one Thaksin Shinawatra, should also apologise for Tak Bai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tak_Bai_incident

quote "

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths, but he insisted there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel.^[9]

On 2 November 2006, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for Thaksin's policies in the south,^[10] and two days later the charges against the surviving protesters were dropped.^[11] The Asian Human Rights Commission called for prosecutions, stating, "After two years, the apology is welcome, but investigation and prosecution is imperative."^[12]

A 2009 inquest found that security officials had performed their duty without wrongdoing. Family members attempted to appeal the decision, but their appeal was denied in June 2012. As of October 2012, no charges had been filed against the security officials involved in the deaths.^[13] In 2012, the Thai government offered reparations to family members of the victims.^[13]

Try doing a little research before you post.

I don't have to use wiki to get my knowledge!!

I followed it LIVE on TV.

And if I am not wrong, the guys wearing green uniforms are army, not politicians.

And when was the last time (if ever) the army took orders from a red PM??

[billd766]

Maybe Gen Prem, a very strong supporter of the army and army led governments, should ask his friends in uniform to publicly apologize for the Bak Tai Massacre??

That might create a more peaceful south....................

Perhaps the PM at the time, one Thaksin Shinawatra, should also apologise for Tak Bai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tak_Bai_incident

quote "

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed regret for the deaths, but he insisted there had been no wrongdoing by military personnel.^[9]

On 2 November 2006, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for Thaksin's policies in the south,^[10] and two days later the charges against the surviving protesters were dropped.^[11] The Asian Human Rights Commission called for prosecutions, stating, "After two years, the apology is welcome, but investigation and prosecution is imperative."^[12]

A 2009 inquest found that security officials had performed their duty without wrongdoing. Family members attempted to appeal the decision, but their appeal was denied in June 2012. As of October 2012, no charges had been filed against the security officials involved in the deaths.^[13] In 2012, the Thai government offered reparations to family members of the victims.^[13]

Try doing a little research before you post.

I don't have to use wiki to get my knowledge!!

I followed it LIVE on TV.

And if I am not wrong, the guys wearing green uniforms are army, not politicians.

And when was the last time (if ever) the army took orders from a red PM??

If you followed it live on TV did you see that Thaksin said that the Army was not to blame.

Do you sit and watch TV 24/7. Can you remember EVERY live TV broadcast you have ever watched?

I use Wikipedia as a reference point. Are you saying that Wikipedia is totally incorrect every time and that everything they say is a lie?

You even admit that Thaksin was a Red PM which is certainly more than I would. What I would say is that he used and abused the UDD from the first day and he is still doing it.

[h90]

Nothing to do with mistrust, Islam and Muslim want to control and regain their past glory,

young kids are thought to hate everything and every one and that the others are trying

to rob them of the rightful land and what not..

there is massive power play here, funded and supported by other countries or other

religious agendas, loss of life and sufferings means nothing to them, just like ISIS

and Jubhat Al Nusra and Al Shabab, killings and more killings is the answer,

But the usual Thai Muslims aren't radical.....There are groups who try to import radical people and they profit on unfair treatment.

Don't let Saudi Iman into Thailand, control the schools, ask Malaysia for help and be fair.....

Situation is <deleted>... up but not complete, it can be repaired