KUALA LUMPUR -- As Thai leaders come to terms with an ailing monarch and grapple with the headline-grabbing antics of antagonists in Cambodia, insurgents in the deep south of the country have been raising the stakes in their bid for autonomy.
Casualties blamed on shootings, bombings and military raids have become an almost daily occurrence in recent months, leading Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak, to tour the troubled southern province of Narathiwat on Dec. 9. Together they urged locals to condemn the violence, while promising further talks and some degree of autonomy to the region.
Najib assured Bangkok that Malaysia would act against Islamic militants attempting to use Malaysian territory to launch cross-border attacks. For his part, Abhisit sought to assuage Muslim concerns, pledging cooperation with locals and backing calls for a special administrative zone.