December 4, 2004

100m paper cranes to be air-dropped over South

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday handed over to the Air Force about 100 million paper cranes to be dropped over the deep South tomorrow.

Mr Thaksin, joined by senior government officials and hundreds of school children, also saw off a C-130 aircraft taking the paper cranes to the South.

The paper cranes, well beyond the target of 62 million, would be dropped tomorrow to mark the birthday of His Majesty the King over the three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and some parts of Songkhla that have been hit by violence this year.

The air-drop was inspired by Her Majesty the Queen's recent speech which called on Thais to join a concerted national effort to bring an end to the violence.

Mr Thaksin said the violence was instigated by a group of ambitious separatist insurgents who would not be tolerated by the state. The government was ready to enforce laws to maintain unity and peace, but it would first entice misled people back with love and warmth. ``If they don't stop, we're justified to do what's required to sustain unity,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Senate committee on social development and human security has called for a review of the government's plan to air-drop the paper birds for fear some may contain offensive messages.

Niran Pithakwatchara said the panel believed most peace birds came from Thais who cared for their compatriots in the South. But the sheer number of the birds made checks for sensitive messages impossible. Some might contain messages that could offend people with different cultural or religious backgrounds.

``If that's the case, the paper birds will fail to serve as peace ambassadors but add more fuel to the fire,'' Dr Niran said.