Violence in the South
Posted by Stuart at 11:58 AM on April 30, 2004I hesitate a bit to make this post, for fear of overly worrying people who are important to me. But it is a very important issue here in Thailand, indeed much more important than recent news stories like SARS and Bird Flu.
As most people know by now, I'm sure, over 100 people (mostly Thai-Muslim teenagers) were killed in Southern Thailand when they attacked police stations with automatic rifles and machettes. The police apparently knew they were coming and responded with much superior firepower.
From what I can tell, this is not a Muslim vs the West, Osama Bin Laden style attack. Instead, it is a rekindling of a centuries old separatist revolution. Back in the days when Thailand (Siam) was ruled by kings, almost every king had to deal with the southern, mostly Muslim provinces who wanted to either be a part of Malaysia or wanted to be an independent country.
This most recent attack happened a couple of days ago. For this entire year, almost daily attacks have been going on against monks, temples, schools, and government buildings. I haven't written anything about it before, but now the battle has been upped a notch. A Bloomberg article today said:
"A separatist group in southern Thailand told tourists to stay away from the Patani Raya region and the neighboring provinces of Phuket, Pangnga, Krabi and Pattalung."
It's definitely a good strategy for the groups. I don't know if they actually have the means to pull off a Bali-style attack on Phuket (and even if they did have the means, I would of course hope that they never accomplished it) but there is no doubt that Tourism is the Thai governments golden goose, and therefore their soft spot.
Not surprisingly, Prime Minister Thaksin is denying everything in his typical bombastic style saying that the attackers were simply drug-addicted youth who were paid off by crime interests.
Thanks for raising the point that it is a historical conflict. I wish the mass media would be as thoughtful in their mad rush to sell the news.
These Thai Muslims are ethnically Malays just like people of North Malaya. Lucky for people from Kelantan and Kedah, the Thai Government of the day gave us back to the British otherwise we would be ridden over roughshod by the Siamese authority like they are doing to our brothers on the other side of Sungai Golok.
KB, thanks for your comment. It seems to me that the Thai government pretty much ignores every province other than Bangkok and therefore most provinces are extrememly "impoverished" (as the media likes to call them). Luckily for Thaksin et al, the people of the North and Northeast are not willing to take up arms against Bangkok. However, as you mention, a different culture (the Malays) seem to be a little more willing to fight for their rights.
It's a shame that it has come to this, but let's hope something good will come from it.
I would say it's a kind of disater for Thais "Civil War." We believe in different religion, live together in "the land of Freedom."The age of people killed ranges from 16-70(like Stuart said most of them are youngsters who are not drug addicted). They were high school students living in the families that hold the strong belief in their religion. I wish the Government will disclose the ones who put these poor poeple to the death.
I have always admired the Thais (I'm not talking about Thais who live in Bangkok, but the ones who live in the far-flung provinces of Thailand) and their general patient and peace-loving nature. So many of them are dirt poor, and yet they never complain. Ever. I agree with what you said in your comment to KB - Taksin is definitely is very lucky that the Thais in the northern and northeastern provinces haven't yet resorted to violent methods to relay their frustrations.
I think the way that the government settles national issues sometimes comes across as callous and apathetic. I don't support what the attackers did, but I DO understand why they did what they did. After all, what other way can they get the government to listen to them?
Lynn, I think you are right here. I find it very interesting that Taksin is now taking the "soft" approach to the problems in the South. It's a "kinder, gentler Thaksin" that is there now, comforting families and promising that Bangkok hears the Southern people and will help.
For more info on what I think is a "new" Thaksin, see this story from the Straits Times.
I am also glad to see Taksin (Toxin?) take a softer, gentler approach towards the problem. Of coarse, now that he has sucked the life blood from the Thai economy by stealing all the money through his corrupt regime, its easy to be nice.
Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water, this happens. When will we learn?