Archive for May, 2008

The Perils of Assimilationist Politics

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

A quick look at the troubles in the predominantly Muslim-Malay provinces of Southern Thailand – which has been a troubled spot for the past four years at least – would point to a fundamental flaw in the line of thinking of the powers-that-be in Bangkok. Having disregarded the historical factors that make the four provinces [...]

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Thailand’s Costly Little Insurgency War

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

As we sit by the roadside café sipping thick, milky tea, the ustaz (religious teacher) nods in my direction and looks away. His eyes turn to the armoured Humvee that rolls past us ever so slowly, the open roof mounting a large and rather nasty-looking machine gun. The soldier who mans the turrets looks to [...]

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