Most people in the tourism industry only tell you aspects of the good life and would never dream of mentioning terrorism on their webpages - but that's up to them. Yet, just like them, we too don't want to put visitors off coming to Koh Samui on vague fears of encountering terrorism while they are here. That's why we think its worthwhile to address the issue openly - and allay any fears - by bringing you up-to-date on current events in Thailand as they relate to terrorism generally:
The sad fact is, terror acts do occur in mainland Thailand but are concerned almost 100% with either internal issues or border disputes and they occur mainly in the most southerly provinces where the population is mainly Muslim and Malay-speaking. (See the green bits on map).
These border people complain they are socially or politically marginalised or they belong to separatist movements who want the southern provinces to be Malay-speaking and Muslim controlled. These are purely local political issues and have been going on for centuries and their membership is not in any way, shape or form connected to the Al Quada brand of terrorism which is solely concerned with international jihad and which has only surfaced, and become widely known, in the last ten or so years.
Over the centuries each country bordering Thailand has had its own clashes with the Thai kingdom and the Thais have always repelled them. The word 'Thai' translates to 'free' and the Thais can be fearsome warriors when you get their backs up. So they are not newcomers to troubles like terrorism, drug running, banditry or piracy. In Thailand itself, terrorism is actually perceived by the police and army as being mainly criminally instigated - which is probably not far wrong - as that is something that happened in Northern Ireland where certain factions split away and started to rob banks and deal in drugs. The logic employed by the Thai government is basically; that terroriist organisations are just as criminal in make-up as any mafia or drug organisation could ever be. Crime and Terror are words that have common meaning to many peoples around the world - especially their victims.
As matters stand, the odds are totally against these local disputes suddenly escalating and then being visited upon this tiny speck of coral island which is a two-hour boat journey from the mainland. Furthermore, there's really nothing here to blow-up - except millions of coconut trees: there are no foreign embassies, no foreign-based troops, no police or army barracks or large western-owned businesses and those are the reasons why its so quiet and peaceful here.
Although the main religion in Thailand is Buddhism, the Muslim population accounts for 10% of all its citizens - or rather subjects - as their king is a constitutional monarch similar to the monarchs of the western democracies. But there the difference ends completely because the Thai Royal Family are treated with an almost god-like respect by Buddhists, Muslims and Christians like - and it is the venerable person of the king himself that unites the population so harmoniously - regardless of their differing religions.
In fact on Koh Samui there is a indigenous Muslim population that have been there for centuries and who are mainly gentle fisher-folk and tend to live in the aptly-named community; Muslim Village which is also a very popular tourist attraction. And we can promise you that its inhabitants are as much a credit to their religion - as peace-loving peoples - as are the Buddhists to their's. These mixed peoples have been living peacefully side-by-side for so many centuries that frankly they cannot be told apart.
Buddhism is about love for all living things, humans, animals - even plants. This is a country where, in the early morning around six, a stream of Buddhist monks roam the streets in their saffron robes knocking on doors and blessing the inhabitants for filling up their begging bowl - which apart from their spoons and robes - are the only things they are allowed to possess.
It would seem that Buddhist countries, even those that host millions of western tourists every year, as indeed Thailand does, are not seen as suitable or even appropriate targets for international terrorism. This is probably because democratic Thailand is perceived world-wide as being a totally neutral country in the so-called War on Terrorism.
