The five-year-old conflict in Thailand's deep South has cost the state an estimated 109 billion baht (3.1 billion dollars) and lost 3,287 lives, an independent study revealed Monday.
Deep South Watch, an independent research group that monitors the conflict, has put the southern death toll over the last five years of violence at 3,287 lives, of whom 1,788 were Thai Muslims and 1,348 Thai Buddhists, with another 5,405 people wounded, The Nation newspaper reported. With an average of 1,956 incidents of violence reported yearly, the group estimated the government spends 88 million baht (2.5 million dollars) per incident, or a total budget of 109 billion baht over the last five years.
Although the number of violent incidents dropped 50 per cent last year, the severity increased, leading observers to conclude that the conflict has reached a stalemate requiring new government initiatives. Of the 300,000 Thai Buddhists who used to inhabit the region, some 70,000 have left since 2004, said the study.
Newly appointed Thai Prime Minister Abhist Vejjajiva has made the southern problem one of his government's priorities. Over the weekend, Abhist led an official visit to the region and vowed to investigate claims of torture and abuses of power. He has launched a review of the effectiveness of the emergency decree in solving the long-festering conflict. |