Thailand: The Headless Southern Insurgency

Thailand continues to struggle with an ongoing insurgency in the south, characterized by beheadings, bombings and attacks against police and security forces. Though the violence has raised fears of a potential spillover into tourist areas and has caused strains with neighboring Malaysia, the Thai government has yet to find an effective mechanism to deal with the boiling unrest. Bangkok's inability to quell the disturbances in southern Thailand largely stems from the apparent lack of organization behind the unrest, thus leaving little room for negotiations or for finding the insurgency's center of gravity.