
Reuters: Thai PM turns to origami to solve southern violence
By Nopporn Wong-Anan BANGKOK, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Struggling to end 10 months of unrest and bloodshed in Thailand's Muslim south, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has turned to origami to shore up support for his security policies ahead of a 2005 general election. The unconventional peace initiative, in which 63 million Thais are being urged to make paper birds to stop the violence which has claimed nearly 500 lives, has become an overnight national sensation with everyone from children to soldiers. Around 10,000 troops in the south and hundreds of thousands of health ministry volunteers are busily folding paper birds.
Electronic road signs in Bangkok are urging Thais to get folding, so the Air Force can "bomb" the south with a hoped for 63 million symbols of goodwill on Dec. 5 to mark the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Thaksin's origami scheme is not favoured by all. "I disagree with the idea of making birds from banknotes and sending them to Muslims because Muslims never help non-Muslims," wrote one person..."Therefore we should put spells on pieces of paper we use to make birds for those vicious Muslims." Recipients of the gesture in the deep south...also want something more concrete. "Paper birds mean nothing here," said Narathiwat Islamic Council President Abdulrahman Abdulsahad.