Showing 1 - 10 of 15
Violence tests peace hopes
Oped, Editorial, Published on 08/05/2025
» The escalating violence in the restive South in recent weeks is abominable. The random killings of almost a dozen people, mostly civilians, have seen the office of Chularajmontri -- the highest-ranking Thai Muslim cleric, who generally stays neutral -- joining condemnation of such acts.
Time for Thai govt, BRN to talk
Oped, Matt Wheeler, Published on 12/03/2025
» Dialogue between the Thai government and Malay separatists marked its 12-year anniversary on Feb 28, but violence in the southernmost provinces remains an open wound on the Thai body politic. A dreadful routine of bombings, shootings and clashes in these provinces has killed some 7,680 people since 2004, yet the simmering violence goes largely unnoticed outside the region.
South activists' feud with army hots up
Oped, Asmadee Bueheng, Published on 19/01/2024
» The ongoing feud between young political activists from Thailand's Malay-speaking area in the southernmost provinces and the 4th Army Area has intensified as the youth leaders this past week took their case to Bangkok to draw attention from the international community to what they say is judicial harassment by the military.
Understanding 'self-determination'
Oped, Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Published on 22/06/2023
» At the seminar entitled "Self-determination and Patani Peace" at Prince of Songkla University in Pattani on June 7, mock referendum ballots were distributed to the attendants to explore the possibility for a referendum for a "Patani State", or the secession of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and four districts of Songkhla -- the population of which are predominantly Muslims -- from the rest of Thailand.
Southern discomfort
Oped, Editorial, Published on 17/06/2023
» A mock referendum campaign by a group of Muslim students in the deep South on separatism has triggered panic across the kingdom. The move is highly sensitive and risks breaching Section 1 of the charter which says that Thailand is an indivisible kingdom.
Leadership problem?
Oped, Postbag, Published on 15/06/2023
» Re: "PM wants swift action on 'Patani State' probe", (BP, June 13).
Strategy for deep South still a sham
Oped, Asmadee Bueheng, Published on 18/11/2022
» It amazes me how, after nearly two decades of fighting that has claimed more than 7,000 lives in this historically contested region where armed Patani Malay combatants are pitted against Thai government security forces, officials still lack the basic understanding of a counter-insurgency.
One middleman enough in conflict
News, Asmadee Bueheng, Published on 24/10/2022
» Yahree Dueloh left his village in the southernmost border district of Narathiwat a decade ago, crossed the Kolok River and settled in Rantau Panjang on the Malaysian side of the border, not far from the river that serves as the official border between the two countries.
Path to peace needs respect
Oped, Editorial, Published on 05/05/2022
» The relatively calm Ramadan in the restive deep South reminds us that peaceful dialogue, not arm-twisting or fighting battles, is the real recipe for ending conflicts.
Govt trips up in handling of Chana row
News, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 13/12/2021
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has unwittingly opened up the old wounds between him and former Deputy Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow, currently secretary-general of the core government party, Palang Pracharath (PPRP).