Muslims in Thailand’s far south, who hated toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, hope that the Muslim general who ousted him will fulfill his promises to bring peace to their region, Reuters news agency.
"I hope that (General Sonthi Boonyaratglin) will be able to solve the problem in the south as he himself is Muslim and can reach out to villagers," said Kordiya Mapae, 45, a Muslim worker in Yala province.
In Narathiwat, many people also expressed optimism that Sonthi can resolve the conflict in southern Thailand.
"I am glad there was a coup and the coup leader is also Muslim. I hope he will help solve the problem in Thailand's three (southern) provinces soon because he knows us well," said Raira Manee, 30, a market trader.
"Thaksin does not understand us," he added.
Joseph Liow, an assistant professor at Singapore's Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, said that "Thaksin was pretty much loathed among many in the south, as was evident in the dismal showing of his allies at the last general elections.”
Thai Muslims accuse the mainly Buddhist Thai authorities of a litany of abuses in the southern region where 80 percent of the population are Muslim, ethnic Malay and non-Thai speaking.
Many analysts believe that Thaksin’s decision to impose emergency rule in the south increased tensions between the Thai government and the southern Muslim community.
Several international rights group have also slammed Thai authorities for using force against Muslims in the south, where more than 1,300 people, mainly Muslim civilians, died since early 2005.
Conciliatory approach
General Sonthi, the first Muslim to lead the Thai army, has been assigned to resolve the deadly conflict in the south, and many Muslims believe that his conciliatory approach may now produce positive results.
In May, the National Reconciliation Committee (NRC) submitted a report to the government demanding the establishment of a regional body to mediate between authorities and the Muslim community, but Thaksin ignored the recommendations.
"Sonthi in particular mentioned that he has not been able to solve the southern problem because of interference from the political leader," said Panitan Wattanayagorn of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
"Now he doesn't have that, so now it is up to him to solve the problem," he said.
Thailand's three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were all an independent Muslim sultanate before being annexed a century ago.
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