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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai Government Has No Objection To Muslim Party |
| 2006-05-13 |
| BANGKOK, May 13 (Bernama) -- Acting Thai Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit said that the Thai government has no objection to the setting up of an Islamic party to represent Muslims and serve as a centre to gather opinions of the Thai Muslims in the southern provinces. He told the local media that Muslims had the right to pursue their political goal as long as it comes under the legal framework. "All Thais are free to be involved in politics, but whether the proposed party would be able to solve the southern conflict is yet to be seen," he said when asked to comment on a report that a group of Muslim leaders and academicians are planning to set up a Muslim Party to represent over four million Muslims in the country, especially in the restive southern provinces. Chidchai also said that it was not true that the southern conflict was due to race problem, adding that the assumption does not work in Thailand as Thai people are able to live in harmony and care regardless of races. The party, likely to be called Ruam Thai Muslim or United Thai Muslim, is expected to be launched within two months but may not be able to contest the coming general election which was ordered by the Constitution Court on Monday. Highly-placed sources involved in the setting up of the party had told Bernama that several people were working on drafting the party's constitution and policies, adding that its formation could not be completed in time for the general election which was expected to be held in July. On Monday, the Constitution Court declared the April 2 election as invalid and ordered a fresh poll. They are hoping that the new party would be able to attract support from Muslims in view of the current political situation, especially in the Muslim-majority provinces in south like Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun where there are 22 parliament seats. In the 2005 general election, the ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party could only win one seat while in the April 2 election that was boycotted by main opposition parties including the Democrat which are strong there, re-elections were ordered in many places after TRY candidates standing alone failed to secure the required 20 per cent votes to be elected. More than 1,200 people have died in violence in the southern provinces. Insurgency in the provinces erupted again in January, 2004, after decades long silence by militants fighting for independence from the central government. Officially, there are four million Muslims in the 64-million country, of which 82 per cent are living in the south while large Muslim population are also living in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 They might not but I do. I opposed religious policital parties anywhere. I know on no place on this planet where this has had a good outcome. |
| Posted by: SPoD 2006-05-13 16:11 |
| #1 Is that a camel's nose under the tent? |
| Posted by: Fordesque 2006-05-13 10:49 |