Prem calls for steps to end mistrust in the South
MANY PEOPLE in the deep South have blamed the insurgency violence on perceived social class divisions, Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda said yesterday.
Prem suggested that such a misunderstanding, as well as mistrust between followers of different religions, should be addressed urgently in order to tackle the problem.
He said the findings came from a survey of young residents from the Muslim-majority southern border provinces taking part in the “San Jai Thai Soo Jai Tai” project, which brings youngsters from the region to visit Bangkok every year.
The youngsters were asked to identify the problems they thought should be solved. A report of the survey results was made available to Prem, who said he had read the report a few times.
“The problem of insurgency in the three southern border provinces has been linked to the division of social classes,” Prem said.
“There is some misunderstanding about this. We have to understand that there is no social classes or division of classes, Buddhist Thais or Muslim Thais,” he said.
“I am worried about this. Communities have no mutual caring and people fight for personal gain. This has led to mistrust between people of different religions,” he said, referring to Buddhists and Muslims.
The Privy Council chief said the authorities should not allow any misunderstanding among locals to continue.
He commended Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) secretary-general Panu Uthairat for carrying out the survey in order to help the authorities know what the local youths viewed as problems. “But we also have to correct the children,” he added.
Prem, a former prime minister, was speaking at the opening of the 23rd class of the project at the Army Club yesterday morning.
Also present were privy councillor General Surayud Chulanont and representatives from the Armed Forces, the ministries of Interior and Education, and the SBPAC.
This year, the project brought 240 children from five southern border provinces – Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun – to Bangkok.
