| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Southeast Asia | |
| Thai insurgency ‘never more deadly’ | |
| 2007-06-26 | |
| The violent insurgency plaguing Thailand’s southern region has never been more deadly, said Sondhi Boonyarataklin, the army chief who led September’s coup, although he added that the unrest remains an “internal problem”. “We must admit that the insurgent groups are now at their peak,” Mr Sondhi said in an interview with Bloomberg, in which he defended the overthrow of the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra. When the junta took control, Mr Sondhi said that resolving the situation in the south was a top priority, but so far little progress had been made. The insurgents “are now trying to expand their network and operations. It is what terrorists normally do,” Mr Sondhi said.
“Strategically, we believe we are winning; tactically, we are still fighting,’’ Mr Sondhi said. “Reconciliation is our main policy.” In the interview, Mr Sondhi also said that the military acted independently, taking action necessary to restore a democratic system. “Corruption was widespread, independent agencies, responsible for monitoring the government’s performance, were being interfered with,” he said. “It was imperative that a democratic reform should take place.” Mr Sondhi reiterated that he would retire as planned in October and had no plans to enter politics. Mr Sondhi also appeared keen to improve relations with Singapore, saying that the city state’s government-owned Temasek Holdings – in its purchase last year of controlling stakes in mobile-phone and satellite businesses from Mr Thaksin and his family – was “just business”. Mr Sondhi said in January that Singapore might try to use the assets to spy on Thailand’s military. | |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #2 Mr. Sondhi's response to the terrorism has been so tepid that it makes one suspect he is the biggest part of the problem. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2007-06-26 18:42 |
| #1 Reconciliation will fail, because the Muslims in the South are being agitated and funded by outsiders who don't want reconciliation. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-06-26 14:22 |