Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tensions mounted in protests against Yingluck at the end of 2013, which culminated in
protesters shutting down Bangkok with their sheer numbers. Their goal: make the prime
minister step down and begin an overhaul of the political system. Rice farmers became
involved when the government's multi-billion-baht rice pledging scheme failed amid ru-
mours of large-scale corruption, leaving thousands of farmers with critical levels of debt.
At the time of writing it remained to be seen how peaceful the protests would remain and
when or if this great rift in the views of the Thais could be mended.
Southern Separatism
Thailand's south is mostly synonymous with golden beaches and sky-scraping palms, but
in the Deep South, abutting the Malaysian border, life is far from peaceful. Several of
Thailand's southernmost provinces, including Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, were once
part of the sultanate of Pattani, which ruled the region from the 15th century until the turn
of the 20th century when Buddhist Siam claimed the land. These areas have retained their
culture and Muslim religion, and speak their own language (Yawi), and here a deep-
seeded separatist sentiment has prevailed.
Government forces continue their attempts to contain the conflict (via force, surveil-
lance, patrols) until political solutions are negotiated. Peace talks (arranged by exiled ex-
Prime Minister Thaksin and Malaysian leader Najib Razak) that began in Kuala Lumpur
in March 2013 were abandoned during the October anniversary of the 2004 Tak Bai
killings (when Thai security forces opened fire on 1500 protestors and around 85 people
were killed).
There were plans to restart negotiations in November 2013. Insurgents are demanding
the release of prisoners and the inclusion of outside groups including ASEAN and the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the peace talks. Political observers are
pessimistic about whether negotiations will succeed. While Thailand fears losing sover-
eignty in the region many analysts believe the only way to bring resolution is for the gov-
ernment to loosen its grip on the region, perhaps by serving as an administrator only.
While politics were heating up in Bangkok and all eyes were on the capital at the end
of 2013 and into early 2014, a bomb shattered 20 shops, wounding 27 people in southern
Songkla Province, the first time there have been attacks in that region. On that same day
a bomb was discovered in Phuket that had been scheduled to go off in August 2013; it
was big enough to destroy a 10-storey building.
