- Title: THAILAND: Thai Prime Minister says he wants to restore peace in Muslim south
- Date: 21st March 2007
- Summary: (W2) BANGKOK, THAILAND (MARCH 20, 2007) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRIME MINISTER SURAYUD CHULANONT WALKING TOWARDS INTERVIEW ROOM AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE SURAYUD SMILING JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRIME MINISTER SURAYUD CHULANONT SAYING: "We try to convince people in south that they are also Thai. We are trying to convince them that it will be a fair treatment for all Thais. We are not going to use the heavy-handed methods just like in the past. We are going to follow the rule of law. We are not using any violence to counter violence." JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURAYUD SAYING: "I understand the feelings of the Thai people. You know -- they've been on this atmosphere during the last year. They are looking for the way out and they are expecting a lot. So, after the coup, they think everything should be fine within a week or maybe a month. But it doesn't work out that way." SURAYUD SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURAYUD SAYING: "The military is trying their best to stay out of politic. I think in the constitution, if they have any ulterior motive, I don't see any chance to hide in the drafting of the constitution. You mentioned one thing on the non-elected prime minister. I think that will be shot down very soon." SURAYUD TALKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURAYUD SAYING: "We are not trying to hamper the relationship between Thailand and the other countries. We not going to close down the Thai economy. We are trying to stand on our feet on something that's sustainable for this country in the future. But again, back home, we need to clean up the mess." SURAYUD SITTING AND TALKING TO JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 5th April 2007 15:47
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABX1DQJ0EOML49X8IUYFYAWYK1
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Thai PM Surayud Chulanont says he will not use violence or heavy handed methods to resolve a bloody insurgency in the Muslim majority south.
Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said on Tuesday (March 20) he would not bow to pressure from his country's Buddhist majority to reverse a softly-softly approach to resolving a bloody insurgency in the Muslim-majority south.
"We are not using any violence to counter violence," said Surayud, appointed after a Sept. 19 coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who favoured an iron fist against the three-year rebellion in which more than 2,000 people have died.
"We try to convince people in south that they are also Thai. We are trying to convince them that it will be a fair treatment for all Thais. We are not going to use the heavy-handed methods just like in the past. We are going to follow the rule of law," Surayud, a former army commander-in-chief, told Reuters.
Marking a distinct break with his predecessor, within days of taking office Surayud apologised for abuses by security forces in the three southernmost provinces, where 80 percent of people are Muslim ethnic Malays and do not speak Thai as a first language.
However, his push for dialogue and greater official recognition of Malay culture and language has set him on a collision course with many in Thailand's overwhelmingly Buddhist majority who reject any form of compromise.
Surayud, 63, said he understood the frustration of the Thai people, but the problems left by the Thaksin administration could not be solved quickly and he vowed to press on until his term ends.
"I understand the feelings of the Thai people. You know -- they've been on this atmosphere during the last year. They are looking for the way out and they are expecting a lot. So, after the coup, they think everything should be fine within a week or maybe a month. But it doesn't work out that way," Surayud said.
Surayud also rejected the idea of a non-elected prime minister in Thailand's new constitution and said he believed the military would stay out of politics.
"The military is trying their best to stay out of politic. I think in the constitution, if they have any alterior motive, I don't see any chance to hide in the drafting of the constitution. You mentioned one thing on the non-elected prime minister. I think that will be shot down very soon." Surayud said.
Surayud's approval ratings have plunged since he was appointed in October to keep the country ticking over until he could hand over to an elected government.
"We are not trying to hamper the relationship between Thailand and the other countries. We not going to close down the Thai economy. We are trying to stand on our feet on something that's sustainable for this country in the future. But again, back home, we need to clean up the mess," said Surayud.
He said the unrest was the top priority for the rest of his year-long administration, which is expected to be replaced by an elected government late this year or early next year. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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