Fisking, the, Thai, Army, Chief

Nation State has a good fisking of Army C-in-C Anupong particularly on Anupong's comments about independent state and autonomy (raised some of the same issues in the earlier post yesterday) and also the role of the Malaysian PM. Did want to highlight one part.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda said no talks would be held with separatist groups during his tenure, which ends in September next year. "We won't negotiate with them. But we will take legal action against them," he told the Bangkok Post.

NS: Anupong is simply lying, negotiations have been an ongoing, but largely a secretive process, since Surayud was installed as Prime Minister.

BP: Actually, while former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra talked tough and famously once said "How dare they ask for talks?" when he was PM. However, talks were taking place despite all the denials talks started in 2005. Former Malaysian PM Dr. Mahathir has stated that Thaksin was aware of the talks. However, after the coup, coup leader Gen. Sonthi  actively stated they were talking to the insurgents - see here and here. Since then things have been quieter, former PM in 2008 Samak ruled out talks, but a senior member of one of the coalition partners at the time who also a former Army C-in-C negotiated some ceasefire with some group which blew up in his face as it became apparent the group had no control over the insurgents.

As you can see there is a pattern here. Some kinds of talks have always been going on behind the scenes. The questions are (1) who is the government talking to?, and (2) what about?