Asia must not become arena for ‘big power contest’, says China’s Xi ahead of Apec summit
GuardianNov 29, 2022
The Facts
At least one person was killed and 30 injured on Tuesday after a car bomb went off inside a police station in the southern Thailand province of Narathiwat.
Narathiwat's deputy police commissioner said the only confirmed fatality so far was a police officer, but suggested that the death toll is likely to rise.
The Spin
Narrative A
The Islamic insurgency in Thailand has only worsened, and an escalated government crackdown will only encourage more young Muslims to join rebel groups in the Buddhist-majority nation. Not only has the ruling junta provoked violent attacks through its military raids on mosques and ethnic minority regions, but it's also abandoned moderate Muslims — leaving them vulnerable to recruitment by militant groups.
Narrative B
More collaboration between the Thai government and its neighbor Malaysia is what's needed to quell the rising Islamic insurgency. Both nations have already set forth on a positive path of negotiations with militant groups, and hopefully, their continued bilateral agreement will soon bring peace to the country's southern provinces. The Thai government's efforts both domestically and internationally have been fruitful.