Thaksin: We will retaliate

[rickfarang]

(Comment: Measured response to diffuse the situation?)

 

From Tuesday 18 October 2005 Bangkok Post online.

 

=========================

(start of article)

Thaksin: We will retaliate

 

YUWADEE TUNYASIRI

 

The attack on a Buddhist temple and murder of a monk and two temple boys has pushed the government's patience to the limit and there are scores to be settled with the insurgents, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday. The security forces had been too laid-back and would have to shape up.

 

A review of tactics used against the insurgents was being finalised and a new phase of suppression would begin before the end of this month.

 

The killings at Wat Phromprasit were more than anyone could bear. Until Sunday, Buddhist monasteries, being places of reverence, had been off limits to insurgent attacks.

 

Buddhist monks had been murdered by militants before, mostly when they were collecting morning alms. Those killings had not been inside temples.

 

Sunday's raid was obviously a calculated act to turn Buddhists against Muslims.

 

``These murders were carried out by non-humans. They deserve the swiftest punishment,'' he said.

 

``Religion is too sacred for these low life to use to excuse [their senseless activities]. We will definitely retaliate.''

 

Bangkok would not seek cooperation from Kuala Lumpur in preventing passage of militants fleeing to Malaysia. ``It's best to rely on oneself,'' he said.

 

(end of article)

[Guest]

Yeah measured. Interesting how the South had been relatively quiet until Mr. T assumed power.

[Flashermac]

<< Until Sunday, Buddhist monasteries, being places of reverence, had been off limits to insurgent attacks. >>

 

 

Yeah, it's not like the government went and shot the shit out of mosques or anything down there ...

[BelgianBoy]

When does retaliation not lead to escalation ?

 

BB

[monkey39]

BelgianBoy said:

When does retaliation not lead to escalation ?

 

BB

I agree. Just using the word "retaliate" does not bode well for the people of the south for the foreseeable future.

 

monkey39

[Pharcyde]

There have been troubles down south many times in the 20th century. It is not something to solely honour Thaksin with, but something that has been brewing among the people in the three southern provinces for a long time.

 

Even though using the word "retaliate" is not too clever, I hope he finds and grills the bastards who done that.

[Flashermac]

There were some bombings and other terrorists attacks in the 1970s and '80s, but they had all been ended -- thanks in part by the personal efforts of HM the King. In fact, it was HM that insisted the people in those three provinces be referred to as Muslim Thais. not as Malays. You can go to the CIA site -- yeah, they've got one! -- and look up PULO, the Pattani United Liberation Organisation. It is a very small group, estimated by the CIA to number less than 100 activists. But I'd wager that it is bigger now.

 

Mr T went in with his usual solution to problems -- the iron fist. (Same same the "drug wars".) Notice how peaceful the extreme south was under Mr T's predecessor, Chuan Leekpai -- himself a southerner (though a Buddhist)? Of course, part of the problem is the world wide campaign by Islamic radicals. But Mr T definitely deserves a big share for kicking up the current fuss that is going on down there. Mr T is a brilliant man. Unfortunately, he tends not to listen to anyone else and responds in a heavy handed way to problems. (After all, he did graduate from the police academy.)

 

p.s. I've been here since 1973 and this is by far the worst violence I have ever seen in the south!

[Guest]

"When does retaliation not lead to escalation ? "

 

Which german writer wrote something in the spirit of?:

 

"Heaven would be a nice comfortable house upcountry, sitting in an armchair in the warmth of the living room by the window. Through it I could see a beautiful garden and the forest further. In the garden would stand wonderful trees and green branches, and from those branches, would hang the corpses of everyone of my ennemies"

 

I think our philosophy teacher cited this poem in high school and forgot who allegedly wrote it, but haven't forgotten the text to this day. Makes much sense to me, like a complete retaliation-

[Guest]

Dropping paper birds from airplanes inexplicably failed to pacify the south. I sugegst paper pigs the next time around.

[Flashermac]

It seems some less than friendly folks in Bangkok did write anti-Islamic insults on a few of those birds. That was kept fairly quiet in the press.