Regional News
Thailand Beefs Up Security at Israeli Embassy Ahead of Muslims Protest
On Thursday, Police have beefed up security a group of Muslims in southern Thailand announced intentions to meet outside the Israeli embassy in Bangkok to express their views on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The group, on the other hand, emphasised that the meeting, which will include the filing of a petition to the embassy, is simply aimed at “encouraging peace” between Israelis and Palestinians, and that neither side should allow the dispute to worsen or go on.
Baitat Samansathitkhun, a Phatthalung local, revealed the plan, adding that a number of Muslims from the South would be joined by other Muslims from Bangkok at the gathering.
Buses and private vehicles will transport those from the south from provinces such as Satun, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Phuket, Krabi, and Phangnga, he said.
In addition to delivering the petition to the Israeli embassy, the activists will express their views through speeches on the violence shown in news coverage, according to Donmit Waeowanchit, a southern Muslim.
Political activists Jatuporn Prompan and Nititorn Lamlua will also be present.
According to a source, with the Israel-Hamas conflict dragging on and worsening, many people and organisations around the world are expressing support with Palestinians. Meanwhile, armed Islamic groups in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq are preparing to engage the conflict, according to the source.
Wisut Binlate, a member of Thailand’s Central Islamic Council, said he understood Thai security officials’ concerns over the planned gathering.
However, he stated that the authorities must understand that these Muslims are only reacting to reports of brutality to civilians, children, women, and the elderly in the Gaza Strip.
The blast at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, for example, prompted Thai Muslims to express their views and urge for better security for innocent people, especially Thai nationals held captive by Hamas, he said.
“Thailand should be known for upholding high moral standards and respecting human rights.” And it should never sympathise with war criminals,” he added.
Meanwhile, according to the decree administration panel that ordered the extension, the deep South’s emergency decree will be extended for another three months, but it will be lifted in six districts and reinstalled in one.
Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin, who presided over the panel meeting on Wednesday, announced the prolongation.
However, before the order can go into force, it must be approved by the cabinet meeting on October 16.
After examining the security situation in the deep South, Mr Somsak said the panel agreed to renew the decree for another three months beginning Oct. 20, when the law expires.
Before deciding whether to renew the decree, Mr Somsak stated that Interior Ministry officials conducted a poll to evaluate locals’ opinions and sought advice from the National Security Council and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre.
According to statistics, violence from the insurgency has decreased in the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and parts of Songkhla since 2007.
In some years, the number of violent occurrences peaked at 100 per year on average, however it had declined to 70 per year on average during the pandemic.
Although the number of occurrences may increase this year, authorities believe that it will not reach 100 for the entire year.
Mr Somsak stated that the decree would be repealed and replaced by the National Security Act in three districts: Krong Pinang in Yala, Thung Yang Daeng in Pattani, and Yi-ngo in Narathiwat. In addition, the panel has decided to reintroduce the decree in Narathiwat’s Sri Sakhon district, where unrest has showed symptoms of return in the last five years.
It was previously reported that Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang was also aiming to prolong the emergency decree in the southernmost provinces, despite requests from certain local people to suspend the enforcement.
According to the defence minister, some Muslim locals have encouraged the government to repeal the edict, while Buddhist citizens have pushed the government to keep the rule in place.
The so-called Intellectual Network Council held a conference last Friday and proposed that the government rescind the order, claiming that the restrictive restrictions had been extended 73 times and that this was enough.
