CITYBLOGGER..PENAFIAN Laman ini tidak bertanggungjawab atas hasil penulisan yang dipetik dari sumbe

Suspected Muslims, that means there is no confirmation if it was Muslims. Makes no sense muslims targeting asia when they are fighting it out in their home country. Quit pointing fingers toward Muslims, there are good and bad people in every religion / culture.Ultimate victory belongs to Islam. What will Thailand gain by hanging on these Muslim majority districts? Give them their right of self determination.Thaksin stokes further conflict in southern Thailand

26 November 2004

"Far from backing away from repression, Thaksin has ordered the security forces to launch a new offensive in the southern provinces, ostensibly to crack down on illegal firearms. On November 6, after announcing the cancellation of his trip to Chile for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum meeting, Thaksin declared in a radio address: “Anyone who illegally possesses a war weapon will face the death sentence, but innocent people do not have to panic.” Before visiting Tak Bai the next day, he told journalists he was going to the area to instruct the police and army to act more aggressively against separatist militants."

"Thaksin’s response to the killings at Tak Bai has provoked concerns among sections of the Thai ruling class that the state of affairs in the south could deteriorate."

"In perhaps the clearest indication of the depth of alarm, the Thai monarchy has publicly intervened—an action generally reserved for deep political crises. King Bhumibol Adulyadej has made several comments calling for moderation in the south, while Queen Sirikit delivered a television appeal for national unity."

"Such is the climate of fear that teachers in Narathiwat province took strike action to highlight the dangers facing government employees. Thaksin contemptuously declared that Thai teachers working in the south were already receiving a “risk premium” of 1,000 baht a month ($US25) and that “if they can’t stand the heat”, they should “get out of the kitchen”.

"Underlying Thaksin’s preparedness to not only escalate the repression in the south, but to make accusations against Malaysian organisations as well, is a calculated attempt to use nationalism to shore up support for his Thai Rak Thai party in the lead-up to the Thai elections, which are due to held in February."

"Thaksin was elected in 2001 on the basis of populist promises of financial aid to rural villages and debt relief for farmers. Over the past three years, however, the focus of his administration has been using government spending and cheap credit to benefit sections of big business—such as his own companies—"