Chalerm: No terrorism in Thailand

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Chalerm: No terrorism in Thailand

Published: 6 Dec 2012 at 16.19
Online news: Security

There is no terrorism in Thailand, just political demonstrations and the insurgency in the deep South, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said on Thursday.

Chalerm Yubamrung (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)

Mr Chalerm was commenting on the report of the Australian Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) that ranked Thailand eighth in a global list of 158 countries where terrorism has had the most impact in the past decade. The index takes into account the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries and damage.

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john49
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Discussion 26 : 08 Dec 2012 at 12.2226
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Chalerm, with this attitude, must be the best asset the terrorists have.
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wakeup
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Discussion 25 : 08 Dec 2012 at 07.5125
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Well if Chalerm admitted that people with guns were killing soldiers, civilians, and even people they claim they are fighting for, and that such people are "terrorists," then he'd have to admit he himself is part of a terrorist faction. Ironically, I believe it is the PTP and UDD that call PAD a terrorist group - yet, "no terrorism in Thailand." Zero legitimacy, and falling!
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fma
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Discussion 24 : 07 Dec 2012 at 16.4924
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Sigh....
Statements of this type are all to common from politicians/bureaucrats in Thailand. Journalists really need to challenge them when they are made. Do not let them get away with silly statements! It is embarrassing to read, and in my opinion, a lot worse for the image of the country than admitting there is a problem.
Would it hurt to be realistic once in a while and demonstrate willingness to deal with an issue we all know is serious?
To top it, Chalerm is a deputy PM, considered to be one of the few who can stand up to Abhisit in discussions. What does it tell us about the rest of the government, or maybe about Abhisit?
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pquinlan
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Discussion 23 : 07 Dec 2012 at 11.4023
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If this weren't such a serious matter, Chalerm's views could safely be considered a good laugh. What a disgrace and major loss of face internationally for Thailand (to the extent that any other nations still pay any attention at all to this rabble).
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samut
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Discussion 22 : 07 Dec 2012 at 09.2622
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"Even though I've not yet visited the South, I'm working closely with the national police chief and provincial police chiefs and I'm talking to them on the phone every week," the deputy prime minister said.” This say’s it all!
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whatajoke
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Discussion 21 : 07 Dec 2012 at 07.0321
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This whole thing has got to be tongue in cheek surely. I can't possibly imagine a country anywhere on earth that would have a deputy PM speaking like this.
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jgriff
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Discussion 20 : 07 Dec 2012 at 01.5820
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"If the media stops presenting news about the southern unrest, the situation would improve. Today, people in the three southernmost provinces and four districts of Songkhla province are not scared of the unrest but the news are making people in Bangkok and other places scared of the South.

So its the media's fault.

"Even though I've not yet visited the South, I'm working closely with the national police chief and provincial police chiefs and I'm talking to them on the phone every week," the deputy prime minister said.

Go visit and maybe you won't say such stupid things but somehow I doubt it.
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joe_blow
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Discussion 19 : 07 Dec 2012 at 01.5019
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This guy has got to go, how he got in is a mystery to me and why he stays so long is crazy and impossible to explain.
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1man1vote
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Discussion 18 : 06 Dec 2012 at 23.2318
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Clearly he doesn't know the meaning of the word "terrorism", or worst yet, maybe he doesn't know that Thailand has terrorist problems. No wonder the problems aren't getting fixed. He think if we keep saying "no problem" and the problem will just go away.
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englishbob
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Discussion 17 : 06 Dec 2012 at 21.1717
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Disc16 Eric... There WERE armed men attached to the 2010 protests, weren't there?
And they had automatic weapons, didn't they? And high explosives, right? (You can PM me for links to videos and pictures if all this is news to you)

When a group of armed men hold a capital city hostage every government in the world would use the military to remove them. You Red fans always seem to forget... UDD drew first blood on April 10th. If they'd held a peaceful protest, no-one would have died.
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