While attending APCSS courses, Fellows are required to complete a Fellows Project which may be done as a presentation, research paper or policy brief. APCSS is now making these papers available on line with our new “Alumni Perspectives” publications.
“Engagement of Malaysia and Indonesia on Counterinsurgency in the South of Thailand,” is a paper by a recent graduate of the Advanced Security Cooperation course (ASC 15-1), Ms. Wassana Nanuam. She is a journalist with the Bangkok Post who writes on local and regional political and military issues.
“Engagement of Malaysia and Indonesia on Counterinsurgency in the South of Thailand,” is now available online at this link: Click Here
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The views expressed in this paper are the authors’ and not necessarily the views of APCSS, U.S. Pacific Command or the U.S. Government.
Ms. Wassana Nanuam!! First of all, I would like to congratulate you for bringing out the details of the insurgent activities in Southern Thailand. It looks much complicated due to triangular complexities of the problem. I understand the sorrows and pains that Thailand is facing as myself also being military professional and faced insurgency for 10 years in Nepal.
Border management is one of the trickiest and difficult issue. Developing confidence and trust among neighbors is prime to success in insurgency. Good governance and empowering the locals and gaining their faith is only the option to win their hearts and minds. Research is necessary to understand theirs needs and demand- political leaders should understand it. We must not forget that insurgency has only political solution- military can only make a ground for negotiation. For this a joint operation is must and restraint by all the parties of the conflict is necessary.
Congratulations to Ms. Wassana Nanuam for bringing out true dimensions and complexities of regional cooperation in resolving even domestic problems. In today’s world no country or region is insulated in terms of extent and causes of problems and availability of joint capabilities to resolve the problem. I like the paper also because of simplicity in explaining the issues and process of resolving the problem. Congratulations once again.