Support for semi-autonomous zone

Published: 3/11/2009 at 03:01 PM
Online news: Breakingnews

An adviser to the Young Muslims Association of Thailand, Abdullorsish Tadein, said on Tuesday that he supports the idea of a semi-autonomous zone in the lower South, as it is in line with demands of local organizations and civil sector groups.

“It could be called a special administrative zone because calling it Pattani City could meet strong opposition,” Mr Abdullorsish said.

The governor of the zone should also be elected, as in Bangkok and Pattaya.

He said unrest resurfaced in the far South in 2004 and the situation had not improved in the five years since.

The government must show the courage needed to change the situation.

Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's idea was just to decentralize state power to local communities in deep South, as the people there had never had real governing authority, he said.

If power was absolutely decentralized, all problems would be minimized and it was possible that the violence in the area would also be reduced as local people could take part in problem solving.

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Mikey

Discussion 4 : 03/11/2009 at 09:54 PM4
You're really that nieve to think that people causing the trouble in the south are all foreigners?

A recent study uncovered THAIS outnumber other Southeast Asians in radical Islamic schools in Pakistan - more than indonesian and malysian students put together.

"The only solution is to weed out and eradicate the Muslim extremists that are causing the problems in the South!"

That easy?

They have suicide bomer traps or something?

So what your suggesting is something like America has been trying to do, unsuccesfully, in Iraq. 6 years and counting later and its even worse in that country for the people that it originally was.

You forget that in 2004, 1,300 detained protesters were crammed into trucks after officials broke a protest on a police station in Narathiwat province. - At least 84 Thai Muslims died, mainly from suffocation.

Police also fired live rounds into the crowd of protesters.

Things like this dont help the situation - the unrest has gone on for 30 years, nothing has worked, time for a different approach?
New radical

Discussion 3 : 03/11/2009 at 07:28 PM3
One thing that I loved Mr.Taksin.I think he was right.
Harry Barracuda

Discussion 2 : 03/11/2009 at 05:00 PM2
This is a ludicrous suggestion. Extremist Muslim groups from neighbouring countries would pour assistance into the area and do their best to entrench it as a Muslim stronghold on Thai land.

The only solution is to weed out and eradicate the Muslim extremists that are causing the problems in the South!

Decent, moderate Thai Muslims should be treated like any other Thai citizens. Illegal immigrants should be treated like any other, and be punished and deported to their country of origin.
Whistle-Blower

Discussion 1 : 03/11/2009 at 04:22 PM1
If the Thai administration starts to open the Pandora box, we may see other regions in Thailand following the same request such as Isaan, Chiang-Mai, and so on....
May be that approach would be good to definite new regions in Thailand for economic, administrative and educational development as each province is not large enough to suppurt large investment in modern society.

Support for semi-autonomous zone