Phumtham: Unfair to blame Thaksin for Narathiwat attacks

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has dismissed claims that the recent attacks in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district were a retaliation against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s visit to the deep South.

Phumtham stressed that it was premature to assume that insurgents carried out the attacks in response to Thaksin’s visit to Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat on 23 February.

Critics' Claims Rejected

The minister appeared visibly irritated when asked about comments from government critics suggesting that the wave of coordinated attacks on Saturday night was linked to Thaksin’s attempts to act as a peace mediator.

Phumtham questioned whether these critics had insider knowledge of the insurgents’ motives. He pointed out that violent incidents have typically occurred later in Ramadan, whereas these attacks happened at the start of the holy month.

Fact-Checking Before Blame

“We cannot assume when or why insurgents will carry out attacks,” Phumtham stated. He added that attributing the violence to Thaksin without evidence was akin to the saying, ‘haste makes waste.’

“We must establish the facts first. We can only make such claims if the insurgents themselves issue a statement linking the attacks to Thaksin,” he asserted.

Thaksin’s Role as Peace Mediator

Phumtham highlighted that Thaksin was now acting as an adviser to the chairman of ASEAN, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in an effort to restore peace in the region.

He criticised those who continued to blame Thaksin for the ongoing insurgency, arguing that they were unwilling to move on from the past.

History of Southern Violence Under Thaksin

The resurgence of southern violence is widely seen as having begun in 2004 during Thaksin’s tenure as prime minister. The conflict escalated following a deadly attack on an army base in Narathiwat, after which Thaksin downplayed the incident, calling the perpetrators “petty thieves.” He vowed to crush the insurgency within three months but was instead criticised for his use of force.

Notably, his administration oversaw two major incidents:

• Tak Bai crackdown (2004): 85 Muslim protesters died after a security operation in Narathiwat.
• Krue Se Mosque incident (2004): 32 militants were killed inside the mosque in Pattani.

Thaksin’s Apology During His Recent Visit

During his visit to the deep South last month, Thaksin issued an apology for his past actions but did not provide details.

“If I have done anything wrong or unsatisfactory, please forgive me so that we can move forward and solve the problem together,” he said.

Violence During Ramadan Is Not New

Phumtham pointed out that insurgent attacks have historically occurred during Ramadan, including on the day of Thaksin’s visit, making it unreasonable to hold him responsible for the Sungai Kolok attacks.

He concluded by emphasising the importance of Thaksin’s role in peace efforts and noted that several parties were cooperating with him in this mission.

“This is a positive development,” Phumtham said.