Published on September 12, 2005 - It was another march of folly for Thailand altogether. The episode of the 131 young and old Thai-Muslim villagers who fled to Malaysia could have been settled quickly and amicably if the concerned Thai authorities, especially Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had shown diplomatic finesse and sensibility.

Instead, they have displayed a great lack of neighbourly understanding.

No democratic country should have to bear the shame of a huge group of citizens fleeing to another land. Once this happens, though, it is imperative for the host country and representatives of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to check on and determine their status.

The Thai-Muslims said that their lives were under threat and that it would have been dangerous for them to have stayed in Thailand. It is fair that the UNHCR, a neutral agent, met them rather than only with the Malaysian government to determine their status.

But the problem is that Thailand, which in the 1970s and 1980s dealt with an influx of more than three million refugees, has completely forgotten its past and best practices. The Thai leaders have made silly and premature comments such as that the 131 were not refugees and that the UNHCR had nothing to do with it. They simply did not have enough information.

Thaksin took the toughest line, saying that they were terrorists in disguise. The Foreign Ministry said that they were instigated by separatists who wanted to wreak havoc on Thailand’s reputation and foreign policy.

Whatever the case, it is crucial to call for thorough dialogue and diplomacy, for which Thailand has been famous for centuries. But under this government, diplomatic skill has been lacking. Nobody could ever tell Thaksin to stop making comments, and so the expression of his views has continued to aggravate the volatile situation.

Now with the UNHCR interviewing the group, the issue has assumed an international dimension. It will remain so for a long time unless there is a miracle or a change in leadership that leads to the resolution of the southern conflict.

It is interesting that Thailand has forgotten altogether the principle of “non-refoulement”, the principle that no refugee should be returned to any country where he or she is likely to face persecution or torture. But the onus is on the Thai leaders to prove that the south is safe.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement last week blaming a front organisation called the Pattani Malay Human Rights Organisation for spreading misinformation that has tarnished the country’s image. The ministry has dismissed the reports that the Thais left their country because of fear of prosecution under the executive emergency powers law. Last week five Thai consular officials interviewed the 131 Thais and the outcome was not known.

It is sad that the situation in the South has become a runaway train. Yet such a cross-border exodus is not uncommon. In the past, such an incident was resolved in no time at all at the provincial or bilateral level. Now, this issue will need the intervention of a third party - exactly the kind of thing the government wanted to avoid.

The southern situation is complicated. Unique domestic conditions in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia add further complexities to the issue. Both Thai-Malays and Malays living in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani on the Thai side and Trengganu, Kedah and Kelantan on the Malaysian side are considered one community. If the conflict continues, there could be a demographic shift in the three provinces with more Muslims of Malay descent.

From the Malaysian point of view, the federal government in Kuala Lumpur has been left with little choice but to react to the situation. Obviously, the opposition Parti Sain Malayu knew exactly how to benefit from this misfortune. PAS leader Niz Azziz has lashed out at Thailand and offered help to the 131 Thais.

The PAS’s assertiveness has caused problems for the central government, which would like to contain the situation and improve worsening bilateral relations. But so far it has been drawn into the fight out of necessity. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s comment that the Thais should be allowed to stay on in Malaysia and that Thailand’s three southernmost provinces should be granted autonomy has further added fuel to the fire.

People living in the area on both sides of the border are united in their beliefs and outlook. Now that the UNHCR is looking into their fates-- the issue has morphed into one needing collective responsibility. And it comes at a time when Malaysia is playing diplomatic brinksmanshipwith different hats - as the Nonaligned Movement, Organization of Islamic Conferences and Asean chairman, it is no surprise that Kuala Lumpur’s position and comment would resonate in the international community as its prestige and national interest is at stake.

As such, Thailand’s reputation will continue to suffer. On the human-rights front, foreign governments and international human-rights organisations are scrutinising Thailand. Within the Muslim world, southern Thailand now ranks high on their watch-list. In the long run, it could impact on Thailand’s relations with Asean and polarise Asean. Muslims make up more than half of the 500-million plus population in Asean. So far, Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, has adopted a low profile. As chair of Asean and host of the upcoming East Asian Summit, Malaysia has the prerogative whether to take this issue to the fore.

Thai leaders have no clue about the dangers of the foreign policy they are pursuing, because they are too focused on one man’s comments and instructions. If this trend continues, further damage to Thailand’s reputation and ability to conduct diplomacy can be expected.

Kavi Chongkittavorn