THAILAND: Press leads the cheers for National Reconciliation Commission

Several prominent dailies approve of Prime Minister's latest approach to southern separatists

The Bangkok Post
Sunday, April 3, 2005

By Kamol Hengkietisak

The selection of 48 members of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) was welcomed by leading Thai-language newspapers. Led by the mass-circulation daily Thai Rath, the Thai press expressed full optimism that the commission, led by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, would come up with a workable solution to longstanding problems in the deep South.

The restive region has not attracted banner headlines for the past few months, thanks to the tsunami tragedy, the ongoing drought and the heated war of words in the ruling Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. But editorial writers were ebullient about the 48 NRC members hand-picked by Mr Anand.

In its March 31 editorial entitled "Time for Reconciliation," Thai Rath noted that the 48 NRC members come from various educational, religious and professional backgrounds, and this should enable the commission to examine all sides of the problems in the deep South.

All the commission members are well-known and respectable persons who should have no difficulty in securing the trust and confidence of all stakeholders in the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

"This is probably the best independent commission we have had," said Thai Rath, which noted that several NRC members had previously voiced strong opposition to Prime Minister Thaksin's policy.

Mr Anand himself has stressed that the commission will have the full freedom to do its work, which may take up to nine months to complete. "The government is not my boss," Mr Anand told the media. "I work for the people."

According to Thai Rath, the NRC will recommend policy guidelines and measures to create unity and peace in the southernmost provinces. In this regard, it will look into the causes and extent of violence there, educate the public about the disastrous outcome of violence and hatred, and encourage the use of peaceful means to solve problems.

Most Thais do not understand the problems in the deep South, which are complex and sensitive, the paper said. "Misunderstanding, mistrust and the tendency to use force by both sides contribute to the crisis," said Thai Rath. "Outraged by the daily killings, people in other parts of the country call for an eye for an eye."

The creation of the National Reconciliation Commission was a drop of sunshine amid the daily gloomy news from the deep South. Even Prime Minister Thaksin has admitted mistakes in handling the southern violence. "We are human, and humans make things right or wrong. I am now determined to undo what I have done wrong in the past," Mr Thaksin told the joint parliamentary debate on problems in the South on March 30.

By admitting mistakes, the prime minister has shown that he is not an authoritarian leader who does not listen to others. "This is good news," said Thai Rath.

Before he invited Mr Anand to form the NRC, Mr Thaksin had taken a tough stance against trouble-makers in the deep South. A number of security officials had been assigned to solve the problem, but nothing has changed. By showing his reconciliation--through the appointment of the NRC--the prime minister can regain public trust and confidence.

But he must match his words with deeds.

"The NRC can only recommend policies and measures to the government, who may or may not adopt these recommendations," noted Thai Rath.

More work to be done

Keeping an eye on the tsunami-hit southern provinces, Prachachart Turakij said a lot of problems remain unsolved despite an influx of volunteers and donations during the past three months.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has done its best to encourage local and foreign tourists to return to Phuket and Phangnga provinces, which were hardest hit by the giant tidal waves on Dec. 26. More and more tourists are returning to the beaches and islands in the two provinces. But this is only one area where clear improvement has been achieved, according to the paper.

"A large number of dead bodies remain unidentified. There are a lot of grieving families waiting to reclaim the remains of their loved ones, but their hopes are fading by the day," said the paper.

In Takua Pa district of Phangna, affected villagers have come across several new problems after their suffering has been eased by the government's emergency relief fund. These problems include land disputes, slow and inadequate compensation for fishermen, theft of aid money, and slow construction of new houses for survivors.

Lack of budget is hindering the Fisheries Department's rehabilitation plan for affected fishermen. The department has finished drafting the 600-million-baht plan, which will be carried out in three years, but no money is forthcoming.

The department cannot secure help from the National Tsunami Relief Committee, which only provides immediate assistance and not long-term rehabilitation, said Fisheries Department director-general Sitdhi Boonyarattaplin.

These are just a few examples of problems that remain unsolved. "These problems are deepening the wounds of those who have lost their loved ones and who are struggling to rebuild their lives," said Prachachart Turakij in its editorial.

In addition, the government has yet to draw up a clear-cut plan for sustainable uses of water and land in the tsunami-hit areas of the two provinces. Illegal land occupation and encroachment were rampant there prior to the tsunami tragedy, and the government needs to keep the problems in check now.

Small-scale fishermen and trawler owners, tourism and related business operators also need financial help to buy new boats and equipment and restart their operations as soon as possible. This help may be in the form of bank loans or allocations from special funds.

Three months have passed and the event was recently commemorated. It's now time for the government to take action to help the tsunami survivors to regain their livelihoods. "It may take a long time for these unfortunate people to heal the wounds in their hearts, but we see no reason why the government cannot give them immediate assistance to rebuild their lives," concluded the paper.

Date Posted: 4/4/2005