Iraq – Despite some massive security improvements this year, Iraq is still a long way from Club Med. Even though the official legal sanction for US troops to be in Iraq expired on December 31 they are still there. So are a bunch of bad guys. Then some not so bad guys. Well, they all have guns and the place is still not exactly challenging Sweden in the stability stakes. Great improvements this year, but not good enough to slide down our list.

Afghanistan - 2008 was the year that foreign troops suffered their highest death toll against the Taliban. The capacity of the central government to control the country continued to be pitiful and the internation community got even more apathetic about everything. If Obama tries the surge tactic that was used in Iraq and the rest of the world gets interested, things might improve, but we don’t see this one falling off the list even next year.

Somalia - Well, at least the pirates seem to be doing well for themselves! They even managed to score themselves a few tanks this year which made some important people sit up and take notice. Of course, as long as they’re not stealing too much of the passing maritime traffic, nobody is really going to care what they do in the capital or anywhere else. A shame for the 300,000 undernourished children who make this the country with the highest levels of malnutrition in the world for 2008.

DRC - We suppose it was really the ebola outbreak in December that really put the cream on this pie of misery. ivilian massacres, refugees, cross-border incursions, the place has it all!

Gaza - Well, they almost got through the whole year without too many major catastrophes. Almost. Neither side seems to really want peace and when politicians get involved…. well, you know the rest. The carnage continues as we write this.

Sudan - With the government so entrenched in the economic capital of Sudan and so intent on allowing the mayhem to continue, it’s difficult to see this country slipping off the top 10 list for a while. 2008 saw the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC accuse Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, of war crimes. Time will tell if that comes to anything.

Zimbabwe - Mad Bob has the country locked down tighter than tupperware and if Zibabwe didn’t deserve a place on our list last year, then it certainly did for 2008. With cholera epidemics, a refugee crisis and a $50 Billion note that’s not worth the paper it’s printed on, Zimbabwe is going over the precipice of complete melt down.

Pakistan - When your own “ally” starts launching cross border raids into your territory to clean up the business that you are unable or unwilling to take care of, you know there is something wrong. At least 2008 saw the decline of Pervez Musharraf in elections. Time will tell if the new crew will do any better, but we’re not holding our breath.

Georgia - Well did Georgia decide to attack their Russian neighbours? Did Russia decide to be a bully? Whatever you think, this one has been on the cards for a few years. When the second largest recipient of foreign aid happens to be a former Soviet block state, you know the peace isn’t going to last forever. Cooler heads prevailed after plenty of people and places got destroyed. The break away regions got closer to a permanent state of break away. Georgia got further away from NATO membership. And the world was reminded that Russia isn’t going anywhere just yet.

Myanmar - We were actually a little surprised that Myanmar made the list for the seond year running, but Cyclone Nagaris which spraked one of the biggest aid non-responses from its own government means Myanmar has that privelege. While the carnage wasn’t as bad as we were all told it would be, that probably has more to do with luck and the resilience of the Burmese people than any good planning on the part of their government.

Now despite our top 10 list, you still might like to be a little careful in some other countries too. Don’t go drinking milk in China, don’t stay at the Taj in Mumbai and don’t get involved in politics in Kenya for example. But if, like us, you have the very good fortune to be born into a country where these things aren’t such a big deal, then spare a thought for our less fortunate cousins around the world.

Rob Wood and Steve Strommer

Here are the main places where blogging can make you a criminal.

Thailand – 0. Ok, so things aren’t too out of hand yet for bloggers in Thailand. Last year Praya Pichai was detained under the Computer Crime Act of the country and detained for 12 days facing up to 10 years in prison. The charges were subsequently dropped after international pressure. Things aren’t too bad for bloggers in Thailand compared to the other countries below, but it is definitely getting worse. And let’s face it, there is plenty of fodder for government criticism in the land of smiles.

Saudi Arabia – 0. Although there are currently no bloggers in jail as far as we know in the kingdom, Fouad al-Frahan was detained without charge for 137 days earlier in the year “because he violated the customs of the kingdom.” Calling for democratic reforms and sounding off against corruption isn’t going to get you too many friends among the authorities over there. He also blogged about some guys that the Saudis had jailed for terrorism, claiming the charges were fabricated. Fouad reported that he was well treated while in custody, but he hasn’t started blogging again. No surprise there really. Here’s the Free Fouad website.

Egypt – 1. Abdel Kareem Soliman enjoyed the distinction of being the first Egyptian prosecuted under his country’s laws against insulting Islam, sedition and insulting President Muburak – the country’s despotic leader. All of this for referring on his blog to al-Azhar University, at which he was a student, as a “university of terrorism.” He also referred to Muburak as a dictator which doesn’t go down so well in the land of the Pharoahs. There is now a movement to campaign on behalf of Abdel who blogged under the pseudonym, Kareem Amer, which can be found at the Free Kareem website.

Burma – 2. In Burma, things are worse. The government has the country locked down so hard that barely anyone can get on the internet due to government restrictions or just plain poverty, but they have still managed to do what most other authoritarian countries have not – actually imprison a blogger. Nay Phone Latt, an internet cafe owner and blogger, committed the grievous crime of having messages in his inbox that were disrespectful of the government.

Syria – 5. When he started criticising the Syrian secret service, blogger Tariq Biassi may not have thought it would end in a three year jail term. The 24 year old was found guilty of weakening the state and undermining national morale. We guess that the irony of that second charge hasn’t quite caught up with the Syrian secret police. The problem for Syrian bloggers is that the state has decreed that all website owners are to keep records of the authors of stories even though the country’s constitution theoretically grants freedom of speech for writers.

That wasn’t much of a protection for Habib Saleh either. According to Amnesty, there is no information on his whereabouts after his arrest and they fear for him being tortured. You can find some of his best work at Elaph.

Then there’s Firas Saad, a poet who was bringing down the Syrian state machine sonet by sonet. You know things are getting tough when a country is afraid of haiku. He went to the
clink for four years in April of this year for the same charges as Tariq. You can read more about Firas at Free Syria.

Vietnam – 9. The great thing about the Vietnamese is that they won’t even try to hide their contempt of bloggers behind laws that are even remotely related to blogging. For example, Nguyen Hoang Hai who blogs under the pseudonym Dieu Cay was last month jailed for tax fraud. Reporter Without Borders condemned the trial and conviction as “trumped up” and “completely unfounded.”

Not to worry – Nguyen will have 8 other blogging buddies to keep him company in jail. In fact vietnam is a clear second in terms of incarcerated bloggers in the world.

China – 50. It’s concerning that the fastest growing internet population in the world comes from the country that is most likely to put its internet users in jail. Perhaps more worrying is the issue of western companies’ complicity in at least a few of those jailings in order to court favour with the authorities who control access to such a huge market. In fact general censorship of the internet relies on censorship technology developed by western companies and western search engines companies have been known to hand over information that has led to the arrest of those critical of the government in their online writings.

And it doesn’t seem like a lot of Chinese cyber-dissidents report the same good treatment in jail that those in Saudi Arabia have – in fact one blogger named Liu Di (who wrote as “Stainless Steel Mouse”) was held in solitary confinement for a year after she was arrested back in 2002. She was eventually released, but but almost 50 other bloggers remain in Chinese jails. Group punishment is also not out of the question as human rights activist, Hu Jia found out when his family was placed under house arrest. RSF keeps a reasonable list of current inmates in China.

So with that, China is the clear winner of the most dangerous place for bloggers, but special mention should also be made of Malaysia, Jordan and Libya who weren’t mentioned on this list, but have all put bloggers in jail.

By spreading the word about the plight of bloggers, it seems some pressure can be applied to the authorities responsible for these abuses of power so consider blogging, writing, emailing or bringing these issues to the attention of others on the internet.

But give me a break! I am testing out the new gallery feature!

Ingredients:

Salt
Margarine
Dirt
Water

Instructions:

Take on part salt to one part maragrine and mix with 10 parts dirt and 5 parts water.

Mix by hand until you have a firm density and then craft into “cake” shape.

Place in preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 20 minutes until firm (but not brittle).

Serve at room temperature.

Seriously?

Well what can we say? The mudcake is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Haiti as food prices soar leaving many Haitians without a way to fill their stomachs.

At only a few cents, a cake can fill your belly and make your wallet immune from the effects of soaring world food prices.

With many Haitians unable to afford basic food stuffs and the UN backed aid distribution in the country not particularly working well for many who need it, mudcakes are the only way left to stave off hunger for many.

You can read more about how to serve mudcakes at any Haitian themed dinner party here and here.

Enjoy!

Browsing around over at Youtube, I came accross this documentary on Burma’s Secret War by Australian reporter Evan Williams.

It’s pretty long, as far as Youtube videos go, but it is well worth a look for anybody interested in this area of the world and who wants to know a little more about the kind of events that are still taking place in Burma.

Technorati Tags: Burma, human rights, junta

This is where you’ll be able to come to get regularly update tripe, gossip and innuendo to do with… well just about anything we’re interested in… travel, war, politics – you know – all the good stuff in life.

So be sure to bookmark this page, return often and insult us all – we can take it and some of us even like it.

And if you think you have what it takes to be a Bastard Logger, drop us a line and let us know.

Dunia is a sweet young lady who was born with the condition known as “Noonan Syndrome.” Noonan Syndrome has the potential to cause several health problems, among them cardiovascular complications. Unfortunately, Dunia was afflicted with major problems with the valves in her heart. She is also of very small stature, as a result of the condition, and slow growth from heart complications. She is sixteen years old yet weighs only 55 lbs.

In 1999 the missionary nurse that runs the Merendon Clinic, and Dunia’s primary healthcare provider, arranged for supplies and money to be sent to Honduras to equip a hospital to perform a procedure known as a valvuloplasty. In August of that year, Dunia had the first valvuloplasty ever performed in Honduras. This procedure made a big difference for Dunia and returned her life to some semblance of normality. As kids do, Dunia started growing (albeit slowly) and it has led her to the point where she has outgrown the benefits of her previous surgery. Now, her heart is not able to keep up with the rest of her body and very little effort produces rapid exhaustion due to insufficient oxygen distribution in her blood. Without treatment, she will spiral into poorer and poorer health until her little life is snuffed out…too soon.

As it happens, one of the team members, a periodontal surgeon, had a history of heart problems and had undergone surgery for heart valve replacements. She was so touched by Dunia’s plight, she couldn’t leave it alone.

Dunia was supposed to have another surgery in Honduras to correct her problem, but once again, it proved very difficult. All the materials necessary for the surgery had to be provided and a series of events kept delaying treatment and causing rescheduling.

After two months of not receiving the care, the periodontist decided she could take no more waiting. She contacted her own cardiothoracic surgeon and asked if there was anything that could be done. At that time, we (in the US) didn’t know the name of her condition, so we began getting information from the Honduran missionary. That is when we were informed the root cause of Dunia’s condition was Noonan Syndrome.

Imagine the surprise we all had when we found out the coincidence that the periodontist’s pediatric cardiologist, who cared for her in the early days of her own heart disease, was named Dr. Noonan! Yes, the disease was named after Dr. Noonan when she began developing a great deal of scholarship and research on the condition in 1963. She just so happens to be the global authority on the disease with her namesake.

The cardiothoracic surgeon graciously volunteered to perform the procedure and a hospital in Lexington offered the use of its facilities at no charge. With the biggest parts of the puzzle in place, there is one final major hurdle, a Medical Visa.

At this time, we are feverishly working, through an immigration attorney, to get “Humanitarian Parole” for Dunia. This will allow her to receive a visa for medical travel to the United States. Once this final (Large) puzzle piece falls into place, we will only have to deal with the lesser issues of travel, food, lodging, and transportation while she is in Kentucky.

Our fundraising efforts have begun and our minimum estimation is USD 5674.00. The potential exists for more financial need if complications arise.

The breakdown of financial need:

* Travel to and from Honduras for Dunia and chaperones: USD 2874.00 (subject to change, depending on airfare).

* Paperwork and physician/diagnostic fees in Honduras prior to travel: USD 1300.00

* Expenses in the US (we hope most will be donated, but we want to build in a bit of a buffer zone to help in the event of unexpected expense): USD 500.00

* Follow up care and medications, for an extended period of time, in Honduras when surgery is complete: USD 1000.00

Dunia has had to drop out of school due to the fact that she can not walk there as a result of exhaustion. If possible, we would also like to raise money to cover her education through high school. This would take an additional USD 300-500.

If you wish to be a part of helping this little girl, donations are currently being accepted. Donations can be given through PayPal on the web or mailed to:

La Cima World Missions, Inc.
PO Box 54322
Lexington, KY 40555-4322
USA

Dr. David Sperow
Lacima World Missions

If you would like to make an immediate donation by credit card, please use this button:

Update (July 3, 2006): Dunia will have her passport application interview on July 12. The visa should come shortly after that. Dr Dave Sperrow sent a letter assuming responsiblity for her care, transportation, and general well-being while she is in the United States. The surgeon is writing a letter stating he will do the surgery for free, and the Hospital is writing as well.

Update (July 5, 2006): If you would like to see a video of the good work Dr Dave and Lacima are doing in Honduras, then check out their Google Video.

Update (July 16, 2006): Dunia has now been given a passport! Record time!

Update (July 18, 2006): So far we have raised $1685

Update (Augst 15, 2006): We made it – donations will now pay for Dunia to go to the US for surgery.

Update (Sept 5, 2006): Dunia’s surgery went off without a hitch! Great News!

Update (Sept 5, 2006): For updates on Dunia’s conditions as they happen, please click here.

Malaria is a disease that is transmitted by a parasite that is carried between humans by mosquitos. Up to 500 million people are infected with the disease every year, leading to the deaths of 1 million and contributing to the deaths of millions more. Predictably, the scale of the carnage has a massive economic impact as well, seemingly in places that can scarcely afford it. According to The Economist, Malaria accounts for 40% of public health spending in Sub-Saharan Africa and strips their economies of $12 billion in lost production per year, not to mention the impact of the disease in places such as Cambodia and Myanmar.

The good news is that Malaria can be prevented and treated (as any experienced traveler probably already knows). The problem so far has been preventing and treating Malaria on the massive scale required to have an impact on its overall effects.

Last year’s major story to do with Malaria was the beginning of mass production of “Olyset” mosquito nets infused with insecticide by Japanese company, Sumitomo Chemical. The nets can be produced for as little as $5 per piece and, according to the WHO, potentially reduce fatalities from Malaria by as much as 20%. (They are also a wise addition to your travel kit as they weigh next to nothing and take up very little room – if you can find them). The nets have been the basis of many private and public campaigns to limit the effects of Malaria in developing countries. The low and tangible cost of the nets also makes them an easily promoted remedy for organisations seeking charitable donations.

Last week the Economist ran a story on the development of a new climate prediction technique that could forewarn of Malaria outbreaks by a period of up to five months. Current computer early warning systems can only give predictions of an outbreak within about a month of the expected date – a timespan that doesn’t leave health organisations a lot of time to organise a response. The distribution of the Olyset nets could be far better coordinated with this new information system not to mention other outbreak prevention strategies.

So with the scientific communities being on the offensive against the disease, why has it continued its resurgence?

According to the US Center for Disease Control, the reemergence of the disease can be attributed to several factors, a few of which would seem to be preventable.

One factor that stands out is the prevalence of armed conflict in places affected by Malaria which sees populations move to succeptable areas with limited resources to offset the disease. The obvious problems associated with Malaria prevention in a conflict zone coupled with the more immediate concerns of feeding and sheltering refugees mean the issues associated with the disease are usually overlooked at the time. Other than to halt the fighting, which seems an impossiblity given the UN and the West’s reticence to become involved in African squabbles, there doesn’t seem to be an obvious solution to that problem.

The other preventable factor in their assessment is the abysmal socio-economic conditions of the areas in which the spread of Malaria is a major concern. The fact that Sub-Saharan economies are simply not equipped to deal with the major costs of offsetting a prevantable epidemic would seem to be an absolute tragedy. Once again, Irish rock stars aside, this causative factor doesn’t seem set for a major reversal unless the economic fortunes of Africa take a miraculous turn.

Despite the advances made by the scientific community, the factors that would enable them to mount a serious attempt to wipe out Malaria simply don’t exist at the moment. At best we can hope that continued efforts will keep the disease within a manageable scope and continue to reduce its devastating impact, but until several of the causative factors that aren’t currently on the radar of the international community can be addressed, Malaria will be something the world will have to learn to live with.

Technorati Tags: Malaria, WHO, Africa

2005 has been another bumper year for finding adventurous places to travel. There was certainly no shortage of natural disasters and the seemingly never-ending supply of wars and conflict has made certain parts of the world a miserable place for many unfortunate souls. It comes as little surprise that the top ten worst destinations fall into just two continents – Asia and Africa. In truth, we could easily find ten countries in Africa alone that could warrant being on this list, but in the interest of fairness, we’ve nominated just four. Also, it would be true to say that the Americas escaped by the skin of its teeth, with Colombia being the most probable “number 11”. Whether you agree with us or not, this is Polo’s Bastards’ top ten list of 2005’s worst destinations:

Iraqi National Guard. Photo by Lee Ridley

Iraq
– was there ever really any doubt that Iraq was going to take out the number one spot? Anyone who ventures into the Sunni Triangle seems to be taking their life in their own hands, and other areas of the country still don’t seem to be a picnic. The Kurdish autonomous north of the country is, perhaps, a little less dicey for the adventure traveler, and is a place where your guard can be dropped a bit as you walk the dusty streets talking to the locals about their hope for a better future. Nevertheless, the sad thing about this country is overall it’s a pretty nasty place to be caught with your pants down and we can’t see it leaving the number one spot any time soon. It will almost certainly be years, if not decades, before Iraq even leaves the top ten.

Somalia – This ugly conflict became mainstream viewing when the Ridley Scott film Black Hawk Down hit the shelves in Blockbuster Videos. Without a central government since 1991, the ongoing power struggle between the country’s warlords has turned the horn of Africa into a lawless wasteland, where the only rule is the rule of the gun. Journalists and travelers can fly into Mogadishu easily enough, but if they want to set foot outside the airport they are strongly advised to hire their own private, heavily armed guards. Failure to do so could seriously jeopardize the already slim chance of surviving the day intact. Daily rates for an armed escort range from a couple of hundred bucks if staying within the Mog, and several hundred bucks if going up-country, making Somalia an expensive as well as dangerous place to spend time.

Afghanistan – Following the promise of good times to come, the country once again seems to be receding back into the contentious ranks of the world’s most dangerous places. It culminated this year in the deaths of two Japanese school teachers who ventured into the wild southern regions of the country around Kandahar. By all accounts, many areas of Afghanistan are falling back under the sway of extremists, and Kabul itself is even experiencing its own fair share of terror attacks – enough to make all but the hardiest of travelers a little wary. Whether you’re in search of the fabled Minaret of Jam, the pastoralist Kuchi shepherds, or your latest bulk opium order, Afghanistan has a wealth of travel experiences just waiting for the foreign visitor. So long as they’re aware that Taliban-sponsored suicide bombs, IEDs and unexploded ordnance all list among the country’s attractions.

Warning Unexploded Ordnance. Afghanistan. Photo by Dan Quinton

Thailand – OK, so Thailand is a great tourist Mecca and it’s not exactly what we would normally call
‘dangerous,’ but this year it gets a spot on the list because of the Tsunami. The Tsunami was on Boxing Day, 2004 but the effects were mainly felt in 2005, with the extent of the damage coming to light up to several months after the event in some areas. The cleanup is still going on and bodies are still being found a year later. This, along with the ongoing hostilities between the government and the restive Islamic militants in the southern provinces, is putting a lot of doubt into prospective tourists’ minds, causing them to look towards alternative shores for their annual hols. Until these concerns disappear, this wonderful country will continue to struggle as a result of the depleted supply of tourist dollars.

Sudan – This one is also gearing up to be a permanent resident on any top 10 list of worst destinations. With the ongoing tensions between the government and rebel groups, as well as the government backed (or at least not stopped) genocide, any areas outside the capital are looking shaky for travelers. In the beleaguered western region of Darfur, murder and rape is commonplace as people cower in the IDP camps, fearful of setting foot outside in search of wood to make cooking fires, lest they encounter the murderous Janjaweed militia. In the northeast of the country, the marginalized Beja people are also dissatisfied with their lot and, led by the Beja Congress, are uprising against the central government. Travel permits are required to head into this region, and Khartoum simply isn’t issuing them. Peace has allegedly finally come to the south of the country, thanks to the tireless efforts of recently deceased John Garang. However, the cross-border activities of the Ugandan Lords Resistance Army in the far south, close to the town of Juba, means that the shit could hit the fan at anytime, with little or no warning.

Janjaweed. Darfur. Photo by Vicent Gainey

Chechnya
– It doesn’t get too many travelers at the best of times but even journalists fear to go to this former Soviet state. The insurgency is in full swing and the school hostage drama at Beslan shows just how far they are willing to go. Even if you did manage to reach the capital, Grozny, with your life intact, it’s unlikely that you’d find a hotel to stay in, as the city lies mostly in ruins, following the Russians’ capture of the city in 2001. We don’t imagine that Club Med has too many plans in the near future for this place.

Indonesia – Now this country isn’t dangerous per se, but there are so many elements of danger that it gets a spot on the list for the worst destinations of 2005, from the second Bali Bombing incident to the Tsunami. Indonesia is also home to the insurgent movements in Aceh and West Irian, neither of which are getting enough coverage in the press and both of which are extremely difficult for travelers (especially journalists) to get to. Killings and suppression of the media are an almost daily occurrence.

The Palestinian Territories – Despite the ongoing efforts of the international community, the Palestinian territories seem to sway only between bad and terrible as a place to travel. Just last week two foreign nationals, there to help educate children, were kidnapped by insurgents and later released. Foreign aid workers report being beaten by settlers. The military controls population movement and curfews are often enforced. It’s probably not on Paris Hilton’s list of places to visit.

Uganda – For some eighteen years now, the Lords Resistance Army, fighting the Ugandan government in the far north of the country, have made the region a no-go area for all but the most determined of travelers. With a reputation of being among the most evil, murderous gang of cold-blooded killers on the planet, the LRA’s practice of child abduction for the purpose of turning children into soldiers is deplorable enough. Forcing those same children to kill and mutilate their own family members as part of the indoctrination transcends most people’s idea of unspeakable horror. To journey into this area along the border with southern Sudan, truly is to journey into the heart of darkness.

Aftermath of the Tsunami. Sri Lanka. Photo by Richard Everingham.

Niger
– Last, but by no means least, Niger, rated as the world’s second poorest country, takes number ten in Polo’s Bastards’ worst destinations of 2005. The famine stricken south of the country has already claimed countless lives through malnutrition, and as the year draws to a close, official figures put some 30,000 children at risk of an unsavory demise unless food aid arrives very soon. For the aid-workers, journalists and casual travelers, the horrors of seeing starving children is just a fly-drive away, as the worst affected areas of Niger are easily accessible along the length of the country’s southern highway that runs between the capital, Niamey, and Lake Chad to the east.

…So here’s to whatever lies ahead in 2006. No doubt continuous headlines will tell of conflict, disaster and despair. And we will just strap on our desert boots, sling a small pack on our back and camera on our shoulder, and go and see for ourselves. I suspect that the list above will be largely unaltered this time next year, with perhaps just a couple of changes. The sabre rattling between Ethiopia and Eritrea is reaching fever pitch, so don’t be surprised if both countries are adorning our pages sometime soon. Also, as Ahmedinejad furthers his plans for nuclear development in Iran, the US are gonna get real itchy, meaning the Middle East will remain just about the tensest place anyone could wish to be. On top of that, earthquakes, wild-fires, tsunamis and El Niño are sure to make life a misery for countless many. Happy new year.

Author – Rob Wood and Lee Ridley

The fact is that the current Thai administration seems intent on breaking every rule in the book and ensuring that this thing blows up. Sure there are a few things outside of their control, like the foreign funded pondoks (religious schools like the infamous madrassas of Pakistan but traditionally less hardcore). It can’t really do much about the many thousands of Thai Muslims who have been educated in fundamentalist wahabbism abroad. It can’t even do much about the foreign funding of the insurgent groups which allows them to pay young unemployed men as members.

What it can do though is ensure that these things don’t exist in an environment where they can thrive. But that is what is happening.

Martial law has been in place now long enough to show the Muslims of the south that it will be abused with almost wreckless abandon. Extra-judicial killings are becoming a weekly (daily?) occurrence against the civilian population of the south. Around 1000 people have been killed in recent months and official inquiry hasn’t even been mooted. Such would be especially helpful in the case of the military’s massacre of civilians at Tak Bai where over 80 Muslims died in military custody.

The Prime Minister seems intent on exacerbating the situation by announcing that municipal funding will be targeted away from the south. That is to say that the “red” towns who are thought to support the insurgency will not be elligable for funding (remember those unemployed young men who are being offered money by the insurent groups?). That should really dry up support for the insurgency!

Relations with Malaysia are also strained with Thailand repeatedly accusing the Malays of involvement in Thai “domestic affairs.” The problem being that cooperation with Malaysia on the issue of border security is imperative to stemming the violence as it is believed many of the insurgent groups operate on the border with relative impunity.

So the list could go on. Thailand is being uncooperative in accepting outside suggestions into its “domestic affairs.” The question now is how long those affairs will remain isolated or indeed even “domestic.”