Bangkok lacks THE WILL to make peace in deep South

[Fat Haggis]

Would that be be the WILL to hand over a big slab of your country? Ever heard of the Sudetenland?

Or would that be the WILL to refuse to give in to the demands of terrorists, policy of many countries?

It hasn't been a part of Thailand for very long ... historically speaking. How would you feel if your country was annexed and you were forced to be part of another country?

Well I don't think I'd start planting roadside bombs, or shooting teachers. OTOH my religion doesn't tell me that these are acceptable.

Seemed to have worked for the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and the Irish Narional Liberation Army (INLA) during the "troubles" in Northern Ireland

Also seemed to have been an MO for the Tamil Tigers too.

[Fat Haggis]

I hate to say this ... and I pray it doesn't happen ... but it may be only a matter of time until ISIS and/or the like starts a much increased campaign of terror in Thailand. Not only in the south, but also in Bangkok. Imagine a large bomb going off in Nana Plaza (a likely spot) and the death of hundreds. Maybe then the present government will get serious about settling the conflict in Thailand's south.

Absolute complete nonsense. Fear mongering to the extreme. Shame on you.

I didn't say it's inevitable. But "absolute complete nonsense"?? Are you a pathological optimist or do you never read/hear/watch the news in the past few years? Or the news in the past two days? Why is Thailand immune, in your eyes?

It is something completely different. This is NOT about Islamic ideology. Don't you see that? This is about a historical conflict stemming from the loss of the Sultanate of Malay. It is about the loss of several provinces of territory, over a century ago. It is about being treated as bastard children for decades. It is about anger stemming from not getting ones due. This is a legitimate grievance. How does that compare on ANY level with what is going on in the middle east? The only thing in common is religion. That is simply not enough to make this incredible leap of faith. And yes, I do keep up with the news.

You are correct that the situation in Thaialnd isn't about ideology, but IS(IS) have such a way of hijacking such things, there have been Far East Ismaist from Malaysia to China fight (and die) for IS in Iraq.

The ideology of IS is very different from your run of the mill Islamic nut job, there was a couple of good articles in "The Atlantic" journals, well worth a read, and an eye opener.

They also seem to have no end of willing recruits, from all walks of life, who when killed the press always have <deleted> stories about " he was such a nice lad, he was quiet" yeah until he had an AK 47 in his hand executing civilians and Iraqi Army Prisoners.

You are half right about downplaying it, but they also said the Titanic was unsinkable ?

[h90]

It's difficult to tackle a problem in the South when it takes all the military might to hold on to the North.

??? what is the military needed for in the North for the last 10 years

[Doc46]

I hate to say this ... and I pray it doesn't happen ... but it may be only a matter of time until ISIS and/or the like starts a much increased campaign of terror in Thailand. Not only in the south, but also in Bangkok. Imagine a large bomb going off in Nana Plaza (a likely spot) and the death of hundreds. Maybe then the present government will get serious about settling the conflict in Thailand's south.

You, like most of the sheep common folk, don't have a clue, and never will.

And you Do??? SHARE IT 55555

[spidermike007]

I hate to say this ... and I pray it doesn't happen ... but it may be only a matter of time until ISIS and/or the like starts a much increased campaign of terror in Thailand. Not only in the south, but also in Bangkok. Imagine a large bomb going off in Nana Plaza (a likely spot) and the death of hundreds. Maybe then the present government will get serious about settling the conflict in Thailand's south.

Absolute complete nonsense. Fear mongering to the extreme. Shame on you.

I didn't say it's inevitable. But "absolute complete nonsense"?? Are you a pathological optimist or do you never read/hear/watch the news in the past few years? Or the news in the past two days? Why is Thailand immune, in your eyes?

It is something completely different. This is NOT about Islamic ideology. Don't you see that? This is about a historical conflict stemming from the loss of the Sultanate of Malay. It is about the loss of several provinces of territory, over a century ago. It is about being treated as bastard children for decades. It is about anger stemming from not getting ones due. This is a legitimate grievance. How does that compare on ANY level with what is going on in the middle east? The only thing in common is religion. That is simply not enough to make this incredible leap of faith. And yes, I do keep up with the news.

You are correct that the situation in Thaialnd isn't about ideology, but IS(IS) have such a way of hijacking such things, there have been Far East Ismaist from Malaysia to China fight (and die) for IS in Iraq.

The ideology of IS is very different from your run of the mill Islamic nut job, there was a couple of good articles in "The Atlantic" journals, well worth a read, and an eye opener.

They also seem to have no end of willing recruits, from all walks of life, who when killed the press always have <deleted> stories about " he was such a nice lad, he was quiet" yeah until he had an AK 47 in his hand executing civilians and Iraqi Army Prisoners.

You are half right about downplaying it, but they also said the Titanic was unsinkable

True about the number of willing recruits. A sample IS recruiting pitch:

You are a nobody now. Nobody knows who you are. You are penniless and desperate. Your prospects in life are nil. We will give you a gun, training, and the opportunity and be a big and powerful man. We will also afford you the opportunity to rape young girls at will and keep them as sex slaves. You can steal and amass a fortune. There is no chance of being held accountable for your actions. We are above the law. We are the law. Sound good? Want to join?

[DrTuner]

Bangkok lacks the will to do anything anywhere except in Bangkok. IMHO it's existence is the #1 problem in Thailand.

[GinBoy2]

The problem in the South is the problem within the whole of Thailand, the refusal of the Bangkok elite to accept the fact that Thailand is a construct of many ethnicities. Ethnic Thai's are a minority, but through conquest they have enforced this mono linguistic/cultural facade. Anyone who lives outside of the Bangkok bubble experiences the stupidity that your kids speaks a different language at home, but as soon as they enter the school gates they speak Thai, the same with most of the teachers!

Now most of Thai's are Buddhist, but add the religious difference in the South to all the other ethnic suppression and disaster was inevitable.

The danger is that unless Bangkok accepts those differences and embraces them into the Thai 'nation', the religious issue will get hijacked by the Islamic extremists. Malaysian Islamic extremism is on the rise, and what better to inflame the base than to exploit their downtrodden brethren in Thailand?

Multi ethnic, multi racial constructs rarely survive, those that do however are the ones that are brave enough to embrace the diversity and create true nationhood