March 18, 2008
BANGKOK - Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung confessed he had "no idea" how to curb the southern unrest as the government announced an emergency meeting following a deadly hotel attack.
"I must say I have no idea how to solve this problem," Chalerm told reporters, saying the insurgency stemmed from Muslim feelings of discrimination by mainly Buddhist Thais.
"The southern unrest is a very serious problem. It's about their religion and their beliefs, and their grievances about discrimination," he said.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will hold an emergency meeting with security officials on Friday following the weekend hotel attack.
Two people were killed and 10 others injured Saturday when a car bomb exploded in the parking lot of a smart hotel which is considered a safe zone for business and political leaders visiting Pattani province.
The conflict is entering its fifth year. But little visible progress even in identifying the people or groups behind the attacks has been made so far.
The southern unrest has killed nearly 3,000 people since early 2004.
