Adhisit Talks About Sharia Law in the South

[Spitfire]

Stumbled across this, a couple of days old but thought it was worth mentioning, couldn't find anything in the Thai news (surprisingly ) but it's clear as day here.

Thailand May Weigh Shariah Law in Muslim South, Abhisit Says

By Haslinda Amin and Daniel Ten Kate

June 22 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand may allow more local autonomy and consider Shariah law to defuse a separatist insurgency in Muslim provinces that border Malaysia, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said.

“More decentralization and provisions that respond to specific needs are fine,” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in an interview in Singapore today.

“We can respond to needs on Shariah law, on the education system.”

Abhisit is seeking to undermine suspected separatists in three southernmost provinces who have targeted teachers, Muslim worshippers and policemen this month, leaving at least 31 dead and more than 50 injured.

Abhisit, who took office in December, has insisted that any decentralization of power wouldn’t be tantamount to autonomy, which the government opposes.

“Most of the local Malay Muslims just want a more autonomous, more decentralized administration so that they have political space for their own cultural and religious identity,” said Srisompop Chitpiromsri, a political science lecturer at the Prince of Songkhla University in Pattani province.

“So far the local identity has been suppressed by central government.”

Shariah law is a system that operates under a code of Islamic principles first established in the Arab world by the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century.

Escalating Violence

Violent incidents this year have increased after averaging fewer than 100 per month in 2008, according to Deep South Watch, a group that tracks the attacks.

Thailand’s leader has advocated a reconciliatory approach with more development aid for the region, where separatists have fought for an independent state since Thailand formally annexed the autonomous Malay-Muslim sultanate in 1902.

Abhisit said the separatist movement was “not integrated,” making negotiations impractical.

The insurgency was supported by funds from drug cartels, human trafficking rings and other criminal syndicates, he said.

“It’s really very much a reaction to what they feel or they believe to be wrong or unjust,” Abhisit said.

“We have to address the root causes.”

Bangkok and Pattaya, a resort town on the Gulf of Thailand, are the only localities to have direct elections for their leaders.

The two cities command a budget that’s nearly equal to the allocation for Thailand’s 75 other provinces, whose governors are appointed by the Interior Ministry.

About 3,500 people have died in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani provinces since the decades-old insurgency against Bangkok rule flared up in 2004.

More than half of those killed since 2004 were Muslim, Deep South Watch said, whereas about 95 percent of Thailand’s population of 66 million people is Buddhist.

Source - Bloomberg.com

Here's a link to the interview if you want to see it.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid= ... prT25QQ9w8

Well, hmmmmmmmmmm.

However, can't see the Army seeing it the same way.

[buksida]

Been following this one and although Shariah law may not be a solution it does show that some kind of effort is being attempted by the Bangkok bureaucrats which is far more than happened during 8 years of TRT who totally ignored the south in favour of pandering to the easy vote base in Issan.

I posted on the southern problems here a couple of days ago:
http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/th ... 12561.html

This problem will only get worse I fear ... as most religious conflicts do.

[splitlid]

i believe in the law of 'get on with ya own life'. a concept that would solve many of todays problems

[Spitfire]

Yeah Buksi, true, but I sometimes wonder about this stuff, like "Does the left hand know what the right hand is thinking?"

Just an example and this is why I raised the point of what the army's role/thinking is, check this out, admittedly a week old but you can see the general opinion of the armed forces.

THAI ARMY CHIEF RULES OUT TALKS WITH INSURGENTS IN RESTIVE SOUTH

BANGKOK, June 15 - Thai army chief General Anupong Paochinda on Monday dismissed the possibility that the army would seek to negotiate with insurgents in the southern border provinces, while reaffirming the current political-based approach in dealing with insurgency in the strife-torn region is on the right track.

"It is impossible for the military to enter talks with any separatist group as it would violate the country's Constitution. Any talks with those who commit criminal crimes against the people is out of question as it is also against (Thailand’s) criminal laws," Gen. Anupong told journalists when asked about any possible talks with insurgents in restive South.

The army chief made the comments in the wake of intensifying violence – on an almost daily basis -- in the troubled region following last Monday's mosque shooting in Narathiwat's Cho Ai Rong district where gunmen killed 10 Muslim villagers while performing evening prayers inside the mosque at Ai Payae village.

Gen. Anupong said the probe into the incident was under way with forensic science being applied with available witnesses and physical evidence.

“The current approach is on the right track", he said, referring to a development-based approach focused on multi-dimensional development in economy, education, social and cultural development. "There is no other ways, including the military crackdown, to end the insurgency."

Violence, however, continues unabated as the latest violent attack took place early Monday in Pattani province.

Pattani police superintendent Pol. Col. Vallop Chamnongasa said a school janitor was shot dead while riding his motorcycle to school.

The victim was identified as Prom Vichienrat, 59. He was shot with a handgun with two gunshot wounds in his torso.

At least two gunmen made off with his .38 caliber pistol. Preliminary investigation suggested it was the work of presumed insurgents who wanted to take the victim's weapon. (TNA)

Source - Pattaya Daily News

Talking to them is against the constitution etc

Not much common ground for compromise there and we all know who is really in charge of this country.

Just seems contradictory.

However, you are probably quite right about it getting worse as there are many "dark forces" at work here or that require satisfaction.

Catch 22, it reminds me of.

[buksida]

The military have always generally operated autonomously regardless of which puppet is at the head of the government at the time. This is why Thailand has so many coups!

The southern problem will never be solved while the military and institution remains so nationalistic. On the same note the Burmese refugee and Khmer temple problems will also never be solved for the same reasons.