An article based on a new Suan Dusit Poll for the government media arm, the Public Relations Department, states in a headline 'Majority say "United Thais, Strong Thais Project" could lead to national reconciliation'.  The actual article based on the poll doesn't show what the PRD headline claims it did.*     

The poll showed that a majority of 28.29% said they were proud of being Thai, 23.17% said the national anthem has existed since they were born, and others felt that the national anthem showed the nation's sovereignity.

In addition, the survey indicated that about 31.32% agreed that the project was the beginning of national reconciliation, 30.51% said it would boost all people a sense of being Thai, 25.40% stated that it was fruitless if neglected by all Thais, 36.49% were uncertain that national unity would be improved but 30.66% cited that it could not lead to national reconciliation.

BP: Thai Rath's headline is a little different. It states that "A poll shows that people don't believe that the national anthem will increase unity" (โพลชี้คนไม่เชื่อ เพลงชาติ ช่วยเพิ่มสามัคคี) so not everyone is buying the PRD spin.

h/t to a long-time reader

* the Project is the singing of the national anthem at 6pm daily one province at a time as blogged about on Friday:   

Test No. 3

yeah test

This is a test post

• [Bangkok Post] Gunmen kill 3 in Yala

  [All of them were killed in front of the village headman's house in Yaha district.
  
  At least three gunmen were involved in the shooting and they sprayed dozens of bullets with M-16 and AK47 assault rifles on the three villagers, police said.]

  tags: insurgency

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Silly test

• [The Nation] Car bomb in Yala kills one and injures many others

  "A car bomb exploded Friday outside a crowded restaurant in Yala, killing one border policeman and wounding 12 others"

  tags: insurgency

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

• [The Independent] Ten killed in series of attacks in southern Thailand

  "An army spokesman says 10 people have been killed and at least 25 wounded in two days of attacks in insurgency-plagued southern Thailand."

  tags: insurgency

• [Bangkok Post] Cockfighting plan ruffles feathers

  [Constitution Court judge Jarun Pukditanakul has opposed an Interior Ministry plan to allow cockfighting to be held twice a week instead of every Sunday.
  
  The plan had been greeted with enthusiasm by owners of cockfighting arenas in the provinces.
  
  Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul signed a new ministerial regulation on cockfighting and fish fighting on Aug6. The regulation was published in the Royal Gazette on Aug 31.
  ...
  But Mr Jarun yesterday said government leaders were duty-bound to encourage people to pursue decent careers and activities and should be trying their best to curb vice and unsavoury activities.]
  
  BP: Perhaps, Mr Jarun should run for office.

  tags: judiciary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

• [Bloomberg] Thailand’s SET Index May Rise to 750, Kasikorn Says

  [Thailand’s benchmark SET Index has gained 45 percent this year, set for its best annual performance since 2003 after a 48 percent slump last year.]

  tags: economy

• [Reuters] Fitch sees bad debt at Thai banks rising into next year

  [The amount of bad debt at Thai commercial banks will swell to 10 percent of total lending by the end of this year, from 7-8 percent in the first half, due to the weak economy, Fitch Ratings said on Monday.
  ...
  Fitch projected Thailand's economy would contract 3.1 percent this year and grow 3.0 percent in 2010, boosted by a recovery in exports.]
  
  BP: Should also note that bank stocks are up significantly this year though based on expectations of the stimulus.

  tags: economy

• [Asia Times] Tobacco Fair in Thailand

  [Thailand's reputation as a Southeast Asian country with strong anti-smoking laws faces a direct challenge from the tobacco multinational companies that are due to gather in the Thai capital in November for a major industry congress and exhibition.
  ...The role of The Thailand Tobacco Monopoly, a government body that enjoys nearly 75% of the cigarette market share locally, is also being called into question. It is a major backer of the November trade fair. ]
  
  BP: Thailand had very-strict anti-smoking laws.

  tags: no_tag

• [WSJ] Hidden Links Bolster Southeast Asian Militants

  [A member of Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist militant group based in the southern Philippines, was recently arrested by Malaysian police while trying to enter southern Thailand, says Rohan Gunaratna, a regional terrorism expert at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. And Thai police have arrested Malaysian members of the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terrorism network, including one who attempted to kill a policeman, he says.
  
  "Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf group are very keen to assist" in southern Thailand, Mr. Gunaratna says.]
  
  BP: This was more likely to provide training or to seek refuge than to control the violence. One needs to be careful on what one calls "links", but again you can't deny there are connections and relationships which exist.

  tags: insurgency

• [Bangkok Post] Rebels 'cross in for major strike'

  [Insurgents from the Pattani United Liberation Organisation and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate trained in bomb-making overseas have infiltrated the South in preparation for a major strike, an intelligence source says.
  ...
  Insurgents from the Pattani United Liberation Organisation and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate trained in bomb-making overseas have infiltrated the South in preparation for a major strike, an intelligence source says.]
  
  BP: Not sure about the PULO part, but the overseas training is very likely true. Yes, bomb-making guides exist on the internet, but 50 kg bombs are much easier to learn from an expert.

  tags: insurgency

• [Bangkok Post] Conflicts sap Australian sentiment in Thailand

  [Continuing political confrontations and escalating violence in the southernmost provinces have dampened Thailand's investment climate and could jeopardise the government's attempts to revive the Thai economy, said the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce.
  ...
  Continuing political confrontations and escalating violence in the southernmost provinces have dampened Thailand's investment climate and could jeopardise the government's attempts to revive the Thai economy, said the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce.]
  
  BP: Interesting that the Deep South plays a role

  tags: insurgency, economy

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.