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The Newsean Week in Review
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Crackdown takes hold: The ferocious, three-month anti-drug campaign had results. A survey by Abac Poll of Assumption University found drug use by young people dropped by two-thirds in the wake of the crackdown. For people between the ages of 11 and 26, the poll found drug use had fallen by 67.3 percent between February 1 and May 1. The price of a single methamphetamine speed pill went from 80 baht to 400 baht during the anti-drugs campaign, and has stayed high. And in the South, uniquely, the Abac Poll found youngsters switched from speed to chewing kratom (rubiaceae leaves), meaning drug use actually leapt among youths by 29.5 percent. There are final statistics on the heavily publicised project: 58,000 traffickers and dealers detained, 1,300 civil servants sacked, 37 drug dealers killed resisting arrest and 1,612 people dead from related violence. There is also a conclusion that a lot of people are very relucant to admit: Winning the war on drugs requires violence, and the choice is between measured violence against drug peddlers or allowing the peddlers to live alongside us.
June goon tune : Burma dictators sent rent-a-mob to stage a violent clash with followers of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. When the orchestrated dust settled, there were four dead, 50 injured. The generals arrested Mrs Suu Kyi and the entire leadership of the National League for Democracy, closed every NLD office in the country and shut high schools and universities. It could be the beginning of the final stage of the 41 years of military rule in Burma. Of course it could also be yet another successful, violent crackdown by the generals. The official line is that the 5-foot-2, 95-pound Mrs Suu Kyi was too confrontational in her criticism of the dictatorshipo. Outrage for Suu Kyi : From Bangkok to Bangor, Maine, and from South Africa to Sweden, you could almost feel the outrage against the violent men who run Burma, where “run” means “control through violence.” Even Thailand, which has cut the Burmese more slack than any other nation, called on Burma to return to normal, meaning to release Mrs Suu Kyi. Thailand has been instrumental in spreading the Big Lie that the generals were on the verge of actually discussing reconciliation with Mrs Suu Kyi, which is a silly thing to say. There was no shortage of analysis. A Bangkok Post piece figured there is a strong division within the largely faceless Burmese dictatorship. Some generals actually want to enter talks with Mrs Suu Kyi, but others see dialogue as nothing but an end to military rule, and the good life that goes with it — Gen Than Shwe against Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt if you want names. The biggest shopping mall in Southeast Asia. Seacon Square on Sri Nakarin Road has it all. Dining, shopping, children's park, 14 cinemas and a vast education centre. Click to explore. Visit to enjoy.  Historic day : Maybe, June 2, 2003 will get an asterisk in the history books. Keep it in the back of your mind it was the day that Thailand and the United States held their first real talks on a free trade agreement. Bangkok is more determined than ever to push for a US FTA, because of the succcess, the glamour and the high profile that Singapore got out of theirs, which was the first with an Asian country. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who still feels for some reason that he has excellent personal relations with both President George W Bush and his dad, is off to the United States later this month. He may even get to meet with Mr Bush the Younger, and he is bragging he will move a free trade agreement a lot closer with that personal meeting. The opening FTA discussions were in Khon Kaen, on the sidelines of an Apec meeting, and between Commerce Minister Adisai Bodharamik and Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. Mr Zoellick said he'd love to see Thailand operate their customs procedures a little more professionally, and reminded Mr Adisai free trade also means free trade in genetically modified food. Bilateral trade last year was $13.5 billion. Mister Popularity : Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai political party went to the people in a by-election beauty contest in Si Sa Ket province in the northeast. They won the vote easily, better than two-to-one ahead of the Democrat candidate. The margin was so great that the Democrats said they wouldn't even bother file charges of cheating in the poll. Advertise on Newsean. The Southeast Asians who shape the 21st century visit the Newsean website. We can let them see your advert within 24 hours. |
Out of denial : There was a sea change in the public Thai policy against terrorists. Behind the scenes, Thai officials have been strongly involved in the war against terrorism. But publicly, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has directed a campaign aimed at showing Thailand is somewhat unconcerned by the dangers. It has been a very tough highwire to balance. It even has caused criticism of Thailand as lackadaisical about international violence, craven to its home-grown Muslim extremists and in denial about the dangers involved. That all pretty well ended. Mr Thaksin still said Thais shouldn't be afraid of terrorists like foreigners. He still says the travel warnings are unrealistic and Thailand is at no more risk than any other country. But he finally said, yes, Thais are members of Jemaah Islamiyah too and yes, some Thais have taken terrorist training abroad. He finally said two Thai “teachers” arrested in Cambodia are known members of JI. None of this will change Thai actions against terrorism, because the country was already deeply involved. But it changes the public face, and that could have consequences, especially at home where there appears to be growing violence and problems in the Muslim South. Southern intimidation : The violent groups terrorising the South threatened government teachers in a spate of non-deadly violence. The intimidation, such as kicking two female teachers off their motorcycles worked, and more than 500 southern teachers asked for transfer. Then the goons killed a volunteer teacher, a whole different thing. So with police terrorised, teachers unwilling even to go to work and local volunteers under deadly threat, the gangs are winning. The government said the situation would soon be under control, etc, and so on and so on. Southern folks would just like an indication they live in a secure country, and can't seem to find one.
Specific warning : Australia issued its most pointed and most exact travel alert since September 11. Westerners should be very careful about moving around Thailand, and there are specific risks involved in going to Pattaya. Put it this way, said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer: “We have information that relates to possible threats to Westerners in Thailand, and the assessment's been made that there could be specific risks in Pattaya.” The Thai government protested as usual and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he might warn Thais about traveling to Australia. Well, it seemed he finally got it. But on closer examination, Mr Thaksin was not recognising that there is a threat everywhere, and people must take care. Rather, he was simply upset Australia mentioned Thailand. “I would like to warn my fellow Thais not to be so frightened or worry like foreigners.” Thanks. Very helpful.
Everyone at risk : Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra finally admitted the obvious, that Jemaah Islamiyah and terrorist doctrine has infected Thailand just like most other countries. Here is Mr Thaksin on the arrest of the two Thais posing as school directors, Abdul Azi Haji Chiming of Narathiwat and Muhammad Yalaludin Mading from Yala: “Before the arrests we had no record of their activity related to terrorism but, after the arrests, we checked on the network membership and they do have membership in the network of the JI group but so far they hadn't been involved in any terrorism activity in Thailand.”
Peace and war : The 43 Thais and nine other international peace monitors got out of Aceh before the Indonesian province went back to its customary separatist war. The Henri Dunant project which sponsored the so-called peace pact simply fell apart. Jakarta demanded the Aceh Freedom Movement, known as GAM, renounce the aim of independence for the oil-rich, strongly Islam province. The rebels refused and Jakarta began a fresh troop buildup prior to re-staring deadly hostilities. Back home, the Thai monitors spread the criticism evenly. They said Jakarta and the Aceh rebels were equally to blame for the breakdown.
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Phnom Penh threat : The case against accused Thai and foreign terrorists in Cambodia widened quickly. Two Thais were charged with terrorist acts, as police closed down the Saudi-sponsored Om al-Qoura school near Phnom Penh. Close to 50 other people, including another 11 Thais, were booted out of Cambodia for allegedly helping the terrorist-linked institution. The main charge: The school and its two Thai and two Egyptian directors were funneling and laundering money through the school to fellow members of the Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda. In the bullseye : The admission by Premier Thaksin Shinawatra that terrorists are active in Thailand is a first. Since September 11, he has consistently denied any terrorists even set foot on Thai soil. But the intelligence chatter is getting noisy now, and Southeast Asia is in the crosshairs. Mr Thaksin appears to be lining up his new propaganda policy quickly. The line is that a lot of Thais were trained in terrorism, but most have given it up. Still, Thailand will work to root out all terrorists, regardless of nationality.
Sick of travelling : Thai tourism hit an eight year low, because of the Sars scare. Just 468,000 visitors came to Thailand in April, less than half the number in April, 2002. The Bank of Thailand said few tourist workers have been laid off so far. Hotels and restaurants are giving leave to some employees to cut costs, but there is high confidence the tourists will be returning, at least by October when the high season starts. Not entirely by coincidence, the government ordered an extremely harsh crackdown on crooks who cheat tourists in the classic jewellery store swindle. There will be arrests, and the owners of the stores will be investigated for money laundering.
Warnings of violence : Australia said the terrorist threat against Thailand is high. Terrorist elements in the region are planning attacks. That warning was backed up by other diplomats, although only Canberra issued a fresh travel warning to its citizens. Prime Minister Thaksin suggested Australians were too easily spooked after the Bali attack, and wondered if he should warn Thais that travelling in Australia could be dangerous. Mr Thaksin's new line came a day later, after he talked with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen. Alien massacre : Police in Tak province arrested a kamnan (village headman) in that horrific mass murder of six Burmese workers on May 21. The six were beaten, shot and finally burned to death with a pile of old tires. The apparent motive was simply to intimidate Burmese workers, many of whom are illegal migrants, from asking for wages or perks. A 62-year-old village headman apparently had four or five people to help him, and police say two of those accomplices want to testify against the boss in court and maybe save their skins. Fat chance : The country's leading medical facility said 96-kilogramme (210-pound) nursing school applicant Rosukhon Oransethakul was too big, too ponderous and too slow to enter training. Bug off, they told her in a letter which didn't even explain why, we don't want your type at our school. Well, just a little publicity, all on the front page, changed the elite into a fawning example of righteousness. Oh, said medical school dean Dr Prakit Vatisathokkit, we will treat her fine. There must have been some mistake.
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