Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung refuses to talk with separatists

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Chalerm won't talk with rebel bosses in Malaysia

NSC chief says trip focus is cooperation on South

Published: 9 Jan 2013 at 00.03
Online news: Asia

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung's visit to Malaysia will not involve talks with southern separatist leaders, National Security Council (NSC) chief Paradon Pattanathaboot said Tuesday.

Chalerm Yubamrung He said the three-day visit ending tomorrow is to seek Malaysia's cooperation in tackling the separatist movement in Thailand's deep South.Lt Gen Paradon, speaking before leaving for Malaysia Tuesday, said the cooperation would focus on a broad bilateral engagement. The visit's agenda would not include meetings with separatist leaders, he said.The delegates are due to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Thursday and they will request the Malaysian leader's help in resolving the southern unrest.Malaysia will be asked for broad cooperation, as in-depth work to restore peace in the far South was already under way."If we look at the success in solving Malaysian insurgencies in the past, credit can be given to Thailand's cooperation," Lt Gen Paradon said."Similarly, success in solving unrest in Thailand's southernmost provinces requires cooperation from Malaysia."In Yala Tuesday, security forces were mobilised to inspect a hole in the middle of a local road. They suspect insurgents planned to plant a bomb in the hole.Residents spotted the hole in Ban Joh Leemat of tambon Asong in Raman district Tuesday morning.Security...

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oldairman
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Discussion 15 : 10 Jan 2013 at 07.2015
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D7 That would be a good idea and on the way to decentralisation of government control which is something that NO government wants.

To lose power.
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jacksprat
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Discussion 14 : 09 Jan 2013 at 20.0014
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@Discussion 9 - The problem is that if the government allows the southernmost provinces to elect their own governors, all the other provinces across the country will demand the same thing.
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DonAleman
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Discussion 13 : 09 Jan 2013 at 17.0813
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Re: the picture - hope no one yells "fire" and both sides commence !
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abbub
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Discussion 12 : 09 Jan 2013 at 09.0812
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- " while in Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung took a position not to talk with separatists"

Still they wonder why the violence is escalating. Sending more and more troops, more and more restrictions and refusing to hold any dialogue.

Dialogue is the key. A measure of acceptance SOME of the grievances at least are legitimate.

The same sort of stubbornness that kept the Basque separatist movement so violent under the fascist Franco regime for half a century. Now that dialogue has taken precedence and a measure of self determination has been worked out the violence is almost gone.
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jck
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Discussion 11 : 09 Jan 2013 at 08.5511
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Taking positions. 7 soldiers/police lying on the road and 1 looking very relaxed. Perfect target for terrorists waiting to ambush them.
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spiceman
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Discussion 10 : 09 Jan 2013 at 08.3310
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Sirron #9, prior to PM TS's abrupt change to our Deep South strategy, this distinct region had always been treated as an unofficial semi-autonomous region of Thailand under HM's direct care, lying beyond the reach of politicians, until the arrival of TS, of course. That's what the Military-Police-Civilian Independent Intel Agency, which PM TS abolished, was all about. So, it would be wise for the Govt to consider returning the region to be what it was prior to TS messing it up. And that should be a good starting point of the negotiation. Otherwise what is our alternative, other than watching more carnage being played out on a daily basis.
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sirron
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Discussion 9 : 09 Jan 2013 at 08.109
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D3 Spiceman, agree that dialogue always has possibilities, but the Philippines government offered their south a self-governing autonomous zone. Thailand does not seem to be ready to even consider such a move.
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brilliant
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Discussion 8 : 09 Jan 2013 at 07.318
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I thought Chalerm had been claiming these were drug dealers causing all the problems. Then they live in Thailand, now they live in Malaysia. The guy frankly does not have a clue. And he's a guy the reds admire. Go figure.
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 7 : 09 Jan 2013 at 07.037
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Somehow I am not surprised that Chalerm is not interested in talking to the rebels. Probably he thinks an honorable person like him cannot even be in the same room as these people - I won’t comment on that...
But what Chalerm could do is show at least a little interest in the South. How about if Chalerm would take the road from Malaysia back to Bangkok to see with his own eyes the troubled provinces? It would be even better if he would take public busses and trains to get a better picture.
But obviously all this is not Chalerm’s "style" – and maybe one of the reasons why there is no solution is sight.
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spiceman
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Discussion 6 : 09 Jan 2013 at 06.526
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Khun Oldairman #4, Chalerm can ask the Malaysian Govt to arrange for such meeting. I am sure their Intel Agency knows where to find these separatist leaders living on their soil, especially, when the Malaysian Govt has the same interest for a peaceful end of the violence in the Deep South, so their citizens visiting Thailand will no longer risk being caught, injured, or killed in the crossfire. I am sure a good compromise can be found, which is acceptable for Thailand, the separatists, and Malaysia.
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Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung refuses to talk with separatists | Bangkok Post: news

Chalerm won't talk with rebel bosses in Malaysia

NSC chief says trip focus is cooperation on South

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