A little Sharia with your Pad Tai.

I have spent time in Thailand and it is a beautiful, green, humid, bug-infested place where memories of adventure linger forever.  In 1976, right after the end of the Vietnam war I visited, under circumstances best left untold, most of the country, from the north where you can get the worlds finest silk, to the southern beaches where the South China Seas emerald waters, warmed by the sun provided ample seafood for my plate.  The southern coast is one of the most beautiful places on earth, most of it unfortunately destroyed in the tsunami during the Christmas season a few years ago.  With all that has happened, it is sad to see creeping sharia now make it to Thailand's main stage of dialogue.  In a stunning lapse of reason, Thailand is now going forward and allowing and encouraging sharia law in the south provinces.


From the Bangkok Post Dec 25

The introduction of sharia law to the southernmost provinces has taken another step forward, with Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam saying it could help quell the insurgent violence.

He is also pledging to speed up work on a bill introducing a sharia court, which he hopes will help improve the security climate in the troubled region.

The move is part of the government's strategy of "widening the sphere" for Muslim people in the lower South.

I am not sure exactly how "widening the sphere" will help with intolerance Muslims usually direct towards non-Muslims, but Deputy Interior Minister Senneam thinks there is something to the idea.

The ministry said it would change several regulations to match the way of life in the Muslim-dominated provinces.

Uh oh...

The government is looking into making Fridays and Saturdays days off for Muslims so they can attend religious events.

Do Christians get Sunday off, or Hindus, do they get a day off for religious observations?  What about Buhddists, do they  have Wednesday afternoon off to pray?

It is always a one-way street: accomodate Muslim sensibilities but do not accomodate non-Muslim sensibilities.

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