They should just pierce their ears and give them gold loops to teach them a lesson!

I have always been against wars and violence, especially after spending time in combat myself.

I really have seen enough suffering.  However I sad to say that it is time to really turn up the heat on those that would hurt or kill innocent people.

War should be kept on the battle field and out of places of worship.

Hi, Pepe,

This is also my opinion, but this must be done in an intelligent way.....

As it is done now, like in Iraq, or related to Thailand, with Muslims in the South will hardly bring any positive results, but will produce even more radical people.

As a fact, radical Islam makes all and everything very difficult.....

About the incident in South Thailand, I can say, the Thai police and military were remarkable bad prepared and trained.

If you are an administrator of a dangerous area for over 50 years, and you know, you are not welcome there, then you should expect, that police keeps their forces and their arms protected in a massive concrete building which cannot be so easily entered by a group of young people under drugs armed with knives....

For your information, Pattani was not always a part of Thailand, and over 80 percent of the people there are not Thais. They always questioned the authority of the Thai government...somehow there is the feeling among the population to live in an occupied territory.

To disperse such radicals however, you need only some tear-gas equipment, itching powder, granates filled with paint, and some water-guns .....

Here in Japan for example, riot police does not carry any gun, just high voltage sticks, shields, gas-pistols, protection clothes....to avoid any serious accident....

USA itself is a very good example, with some considerable unrest sometimes made between racial differences among the population - like a Rodney King, (I think this was his name) stealing a car and a police beating.....I still remember wild demonstrations in the States...but I do not remember that the National Guards were shooting all these black people...

It is not the job of the police to kill people.

Also for me it is not self defense when you enter a mosque with an automatic rifle and to kill young fanatic people there armed with knives....

Isolate this area, make some teargas smoke, and enter with a water-gun and these people will give up for sure.....No need to kill anybody....

I also think, it is tasteless by members of this forum, ethnic Thai or foreigner does not matter, to send congratulations to the police for killing over 100 young people .....

Johann

I can say the only thing I agree here with you is the word "congratulations" is not suitable.

but,

To disperse such radicals however, you need only some tear-gas equipment, itching powder, granates filled with paint, and some water-guns .....

these so-called radicals are people who are ready to kill anyone they see or are in their way!!! What are you expecting from the Thai police? Have you ever thought about yourself being in that situation? What will you do? What are you going to tell the family members of the dead police officers? Especially if they have done it in a less violent way(as what you have mentioned) and got 10 more policemen killed? Aren't those lives(the policemen's) precious?

Isolate this area, make some teargas smoke, and enter with a water-gun and these people will give up for sure.....No need to kill anybody....

What then? How do you deal with these people? Please answer this one!

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Hi, Pepe,

This is also my opinion, but this must be done in an intelligent way.....

I see we've finally come to the source of the problem.....

Dutchy

real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor?

I do. If I live in a graveyard.

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Yeah, but its ALL George Bush's fault!

Or USA's

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Yeah, but its ALL George Bush's fault!

Oh OK, armed with this information I can now get off Osama's a$$. Thanks.

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Your message is written out of the prejustice, that any war, any conflict is involving Moslem in this world.....

Already in history, there was a war between the Northern and Southern States in the USA.....Moslems? Where?

WWI and WWII with over 50 million people dead, did not involve many Moslems, or do you think, Germany, France, Russia ..are Moslems?

The Americans dropped 2 atomic bomb on a country on defendless civilians, (Japan) which for sure never had anything to do with Islam....

Americans also eliminated over 2 million Vietnamese people, who are for sure not Moslems...

I also do not think, that all the Apartheid violence in South Africa was based on Islamic priciples....

In recent history, we had Cambodian genocide....where are the Moslems there?

Are they Moslems over in Haiti? Or in Cuba?

Or in Ireland or in Spain....IRA or ETA is not based on Islam....

Were the people on Tianmen Square in Beijing Moslems?

Or China and Taiwan?

Serbs and Croats are not Moslems, but Orthodox and Catholic...

Are the Tamils and the Singhalese in Sri Lanka Moslems?

So there are many conflicts everywhere in this world.... and in many cases Moslems are not involved....

-------------------------

About Southern Thailand (Pattani), the issue is complicated, as this area is not the original territory of Thailand, and the population there is non-ethnic Thai, which never accepted the Thai government as their leadership, they always considered their status as a kind of an occupation....

-------------------------

In the case of South Thailand:

*How many do you want for as a neighbour?*

It is an easy reply for me... nobody.....Islam for me? No way!

Let them in their areas, and do not let them into Thailand - give this land-corner back to Malaysia, from where it is from, and where in Kelantan is already everything looking like in Iran. - Why do they want to keep an area, which is not fitting Thailand?

-------

Generally,

I do not see any way, how to deal with radicals of any color.

You must fight them - if it is a foreigner, just kick him out.... and if it is local, you have to put him behind bars.....

I do not think however, that all criminals behind bars in Europe or USA are Moslems.....

If this religion makes troubles in the USA and in Europe as a danger for the state, why do you permit it?

Christianity is not allowed by law in Saudi-Arabia, how come, this place is the best friend of the USA?

I think, first of all, Islam should be reduced, where we do not like it, and this is in OUR OWN COUNTRIES, because it is not our culture....

You mentioned areas like Israel (always Islam was there) and Indonesia...same, or Iraq, same....There is no solution there....

Just to congratulate Thailand for killing 100 young Moslems is no long-term solution....

Johann

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Your message is written out of the prejustice, that any war, any conflict is involving Moslem in this world.....

Already in history, there was a war between the Northern and Southern States in the USA.....Moslems? Where?

WWI and WWII with over 50 million people dead, did not involve many Moslems, or do you think, Germany, France, Russia ..are Moslems?

The Americans dropped 2 atomic bomb on a country on defendless civilians, (Japan) which for sure never had anything to do with Islam....

Americans also eliminated over 2 million Vietnamese people, who are for sure not Moslems...

I also do not think, that all the Apartheid violence in South Africa was based on Islamic priciples....

In recent history, we had Cambodian genocide....where are the Moslems there?

Are they Moslems over in Haiti? Or in Cuba?

Or in Ireland or in Spain....IRA or ETA is not based on Islam....

Were the people on Tianmen Square in Beijing Moslems?

Or China and Taiwan?

Serbs and Croats are not Moslems, but Orthodox and Catholic...

Are the Tamils and the Singhalese in Sri Lanka Moslems?

So there are many conflicts everywhere in this world.... and in many cases Moslems are not involved....

-------------------------

About Southern Thailand (Pattani), the issue is complicated, as this area is not the original territory of Thailand, and the population there is non-ethnic Thai, which never accepted the Thai government as their leadership, they always considered their status as a kind of an occupation....

-------------------------

In the case of South Thailand:

*How many do you want for as a neighbour?*

It is an easy reply for me... nobody.....Islam for me? No way!

Let them in their areas, and do not let them into Thailand - give this land-corner back to Malaysia, from where it is from, and where in Kelantan is already everything looking like in Iran. - Why do they want to keep an area, which is not fitting Thailand?

-------

Generally,

I do not see any way, how to deal with radicals of any color.

You must fight them - if it is a foreigner, just kick him out.... and if it is local, you have to put him behind bars.....

I do not think however, that all criminals behind bars in Europe or USA are Moslems.....

If this religion makes troubles in the USA and in Europe as a danger for the state, why do you permit it?

Christianity is not allowed by law in Saudi-Arabia, how come, this place is the best friend of the USA?

Just to congratulate Thailand for killing 100 young Moslems is no long-term solution....

Johann

You have made a point here but it is not confusing at all to me what is currently going on in the world as we sit here pecking on these keyboards. You say predudice, maybe so but I have come by this honestly, just hang around and watch the action and maybe you will be singing a new tune very soon. I enjoy this country of Thailand and it's people and it saddens me a great deal to see what is/has been going on in the southern part of this country now.

Let's deal with what we have today, no need to review wars of yesteryear.

incorrect...they were carrying swords but died by massive lethal response in the form of assault rifles and grenade launchers...

In this case I totally agree with you.

I am astonished how poor Thai police is reacting in an area, which is for decades a critical region.....

No reason for congratulations.....

Johann

How should the police have reacted?

Let me errr a see now, the Muslims are fighting/killing the Christians in Indonesia, the Muslims are fighting the Jews in Israel, the Muslims are fighting anyone that is non-Muslim in Iraq, the Muslims are killing Budhists monks and non-Muslims in the south of Thailand, real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor? And don't give me this school ground crap that non-Muslims started all this.

Your message is written out of the prejustice, that any war, any conflict is involving Moslem in this world.....

Already in history, there was a war between the Northern and Southern States in the USA.....Moslems? Where?

WWI and WWII with over 50 million people dead, did not involve many Moslems, or do you think, Germany, France, Russia ..are Moslems?

The Americans dropped 2 atomic bomb on a country on defendless civilians, (Japan) which for sure never had anything to do with Islam....

Americans also eliminated over 2 million Vietnamese people, who are for sure not Moslems...

I also do not think, that all the Apartheid violence in South Africa was based on Islamic priciples....

In recent history, we had Cambodian genocide....where are the Moslems there?

Are they Moslems over in Haiti? Or in Cuba?

Or in Ireland or in Spain....IRA or ETA is not based on Islam....

Were the people on Tianmen Square in Beijing Moslems?

Or China and Taiwan?

Serbs and Croats are not Moslems, but Orthodox and Catholic...

Are the Tamils and the Singhalese in Sri Lanka Moslems?

You are talking ancient history. We are talking about right now.

Muslims are making themselves more trouble then they are worth, and the consequences are going to very sad, but, if they don't stop the radicals, they are begging for it.

In recent history, we had Cambodian genocide....where are the Moslems there?

Are they Moslems over in Haiti? Or in Cuba?

Or in Ireland or in Spain....IRA or ETA is not based on Islam....

Were the people on Tianmen Square in Beijing Moslems?

Serbs and Croats are not Moslems, but Orthodox and Catholic...

Are the Tamils and the Singhalese in Sri Lanka Moslems?

You are talking ancient history. We are talking about right now.

It is recent history, not ancient history....

Johann

> real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor?

I do. Actually already rented a house from one. Best landlord I ever had. Like I'd go pay the rent and he'd ask if everything was fine, and I'd say fine, just the water in the toilet keeps flowing sometime but it's no problem. Then the dude would be there the next morning fixing it for me!

How should the police have reacted?

I think, Thai police could learn a lot from the National Guards in the USA or other well trained riot police troops....

They usually do not kill any person during riots, even if he is a black or a Latino or a Moslem.....

Excellent police force is reacting fairly different in such situations.....

This has to be said....

Johann

Thai police could learn a lot from the National Guards in the USA 

they did.

> real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor?

I do. Actually already rented a house from one. Best landlord I ever had. Like I'd go pay the rent and he'd ask if everything was fine, and I'd say fine, just the water in the toilet keeps flowing sometime but it's no problem. Then the dude would be there the next morning fixing it for me!

You know what they say, "Even a blind Hog will root out an acorn sometimes."

Jus being ugly here, I know what you are saying and good for you.

> real sweethearts these Muslims, how many of you want one for a neighbor?

Some Muslim girls from the South are really very nice.... no joke...nothing against them...you can have 4 of them (if you convert to Moslem.....and this is the problem)

They are really modest with their clothings, will clean your house all the time, and you will be very busy during nighttime.....

Islam might be a nice religion, but is misused by some fanatic idiots, running around like the wild dogs armed with knives.....

The problem is not Islam itself, the problem is hate, fanatism, intolerance....

Johann

Yohan,

You cannot compare riots with a killing mob.

Mostly, I think your opinion is fair and balanced (look like FOX ),but here I think it is naive.

I believe that if not reacted firmly in this case , we now would have had missing weapons by the hundreds like last time. And the whole would criticize Thailand.

(Wait till the tens of thousands of students from the Khak boarding schools come at age. )

I am not that optimistic as you might be

How should the police have reacted?

I think, Thai police could learn a lot from the National Guards in the USA or other well trained riot police troops....

They usually do not kill any person during riots, even if he is a black or a Latino or a Moslem.....

Excellent police force is reacting fairly different in such situations.....

This has to be said....

Johann

This assumes a willingness to learn which is absent in Thailand, the "Thai way" of doing things is the only way things get done here. This means no accountability, no responsibility for one's own actions.

Thailand's main problem is that it's managed by Thais, they do all they can to keep it that way.... everything else is not relevant, TIT

Dutchy

Yohan,

You cannot compare riots with a killing mob.

Mostly, I think your opinion is fair and balanced (look like FOX   ),but here I think it is naive.

I believe that if not reacted firmly in this case , we now would have had missing weapons by the hundreds like last time. And the whole would  criticize Thailand.

(Wait till the tens of thousands of students from the Khak boarding schools come at age. )

I am not that optimistic as you might be

The difference between me and many out of this forum is, that I was living in Malaysia near borderline, and that I am visiting the Muslim South since over 30 years.....

Most people posting here maybe never have been there except for visa-run to Padang Besar.

My Malay is much better than my knowledge of Thai, and it is not so difficult for me to communicate with people in this area.....

So I have some more feelings for the locals there, please for your consideration.

To make it clear, I am not a Muslim....no way.... (but still my experience is, that Muslim girls are very nice....)

The people in Southern Thailand, and also in Malaysia became more and more influenced from radical Arab related Islamic thinking and aggressive and seclusive in their actions...

too bad....

I can assure you, this rarely visited area South of Songkhla is one of the most beautiful places in Thailand -

Maybe best for longterm to consider any solution to move that area legally back to Malaysia, this is where it comes from....

really too bad......and no solution in sight

I am also not optimistic.

Johann

From early posting on this thread......Thaihome - you must be kidding me when you ask for examples of how Southern Thai are not treated same as other Thai........100% of Thai people I have spoken to say they dislike, distrust and dont want anything to do with, Southern Thais !!! Dont you think that is evidence enough to suggest that something is wrong.

Chanchao - you believe Southern Thailand is safe today than 2 days ago ! Interesting. From what I can gather in the media, people are warning of more reprisals now. I feel that the future of Thailands tourism was decided on this night when the police and military used overkill to put down an amusing threat. Kids with knifes !! Geesus give me a break.

If anyone has an ounce of empathy they will put themselves inthe shoes of a people who are living now a nightmare.......afraid to go outside their homes - both Muslim and Buddhist - not a normal life. Imagine living like that and also fearing the very people who should be there to protect. George orwell would be rolling in his grave !!

If anyone has an ounce of empathy they will put themselves inthe shoes of a people who are living now a nightmare.......afraid to go outside their homes - both Muslim and Buddhist - not a normal life.

Who is it to blame then? The Thai police?

Imagine living like that and also fearing the very people who should be there to protect.

This is only just what you think. You are just assuming.

How should the police have reacted?

I think, Thai police could learn a lot from the National Guards in the USA or other well trained riot police troops....

They usually do not kill any person during riots, even if he is a black or a Latino or a Moslem.....

Excellent police force is reacting fairly different in such situations.....

This has to be said....

Johann

This assumes a willingness to learn which is absent in Thailand, the "Thai way" of doing things is the only way things get done here. This means no accountability, no responsibility for one's own actions.

Thailand's main problem is that it's managed by Thais, they do all they can to keep it that way.... everything else is not relevant, TIT

Dutchy

This assumes it is better for you to go back to the Netherlands.

Chanchao - you believe Southern Thailand is safe today than 2 days ago ! Interesting.

Hi, Chanchao

The best way is to try it out....

Chanchao, make a trip to the South of Thailand.....

Make a rest in Narathiwat or Pattani near the beach.......or the market.....or visit a Malay fisherman-village there

and tell everybody, that you are an ethnic Thai, proud of its military and police force, and that such actions make Thailand safe and peaceful as you were in the Buddha yourself........

bring a dictionary with you, to make sure, that people will understand what you tell them....

I would not be surprised, if you change your mind and if you run for your life into the next mosque.....

Maybe Allah knows better.....

Johann

I am starting to think that we should send the great peacemaker -Yohan- down there to mediate between the Muslims and the Thais.

We could tell the Muslims that he is Ariel Sharon's brother, and tell the Thai's that he was sent by Bin Ladin to cause more unrest.

These Muslim posts would be a lot more interesting by tomorrow!