On the Third Hand…

Thai army’s velvet glove in troubled provinces (requires registration)

After several false starts, the military now has an integrated intelligence set-up and is building intelligence assets.

The Southern Border Provinces Peace Building Command uses a two-pronged approach - the iron fist and the velvet glove.

Local commanders downplay Mr Thaksin’s decision to withhold aid to insurgency-affected villages - so-called ‘red zones’ where people are reluctant to cooperate with the military.

The plan has attracted howls of criticism, but Narathiwat Governor Pracha Terat tells The Straits Times: ‘They will continue to get the normal share of the government budget. For us, every village is ‘white’, and trust is the key.’

The army is now putting small teams into villages to live and work with residents on small-scale development projects.

Carrot and stick? Might work. We’ll see.

Thanks to wits0 for the link.