I am very much saddened at the negative response of Thai senior senator Kraisak Choonhavan to the suggestion made by Dr Mahathir Mohamad that greater autonomy be given to the Muslim-majority Thai southern provinces. Kraisak abruptly dispelled the suggestion as 'not constructive'.

The demonstration by 20,000 odd people in the northeast Thai province of Bureerum following Mahathir 's remark was visibly orchestrated by the Thai government to divert the attention of the international community from the underlying realities of situation in southern Thailand.

Mahathir certainly knows the Thais and the historical background of the Thai southern provinces as well.

What Mahathir proposed is that the Thai government review the Thai Provincial Administration Act of May 1897 (Phraratchabanyat Laksana Pakkhrong Thongthi) which had effectively destroyed whatever remained of the southern states provincial independent existence.

This had resulted in the annexation and colonisation of what used to be part of the independent northern Malay states. As a matter of fact, Perlis narrowly escaped this annexation by the Thais.

The people of Kelantan, by virtue of this Act, became alienated from their families in Pattani, Satun and Narathiwat. For this reason, it is not surprising that there were two serious uprisings in Patani in 1910 and 1911 and strong reactions from the Kelantenese from time to time especially prior to the 1950s.

What is proposed by Mahathir is not to undo history but to accept the fact that the Thai suppression should not be allowed to last forever. The Muslims in the southern Thai provinces, many of whom have been working in Malaysia and Singapore, know how far their countrymen have left them behind.

Many of these southern Thai Muslims have also been successful in their education with a good number of them pursuing their studies in universities in Malaysia and the Middle East.

I am also particularly perturbed by the varying references the Thaksin government has been giving to these unfortunate Muslims of Malay origin. It started with 'drug addicts and pushers' to 'terrorists', 'bandits' and of late 'criminals'.

The actual outcome of the latest carnage by the Thai military against the defenseless Muslims at Tak Bai on Oct 25 has been listed as follows: six persons were found dead with gunshot wounds while 78 others were killed during their transportation to the military camp in Patani.

All victims had their hands and feet tied, their mouths plastered. They were literally thrown into military tracks like logs and piled up, up to seven layers. Thirty-five bodies were found in the river on Oct 29. A total of 1,298 persons were held under military custody. Of this, 730 persons were injured and another 255 persons 'still missing'.

Mahathir and many of us know very well that the cover-up attempts by the Thaksin government have always been badly disguised and executed .They are meant to insult our intelligence more than they are designed to cover-up.

What is evident to us at the end of the day is nothing more than classic Thai cruelty and their finesse in the art of torture and crude cover-ups.

What is sad about the whole tragedy is that it has met with a conspiracy of silence by the United States and its Western allies who supposedly champion democracy and human rights.

And the whole issue has also found the political leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia in a most desperate and difficult situation. Their hands and feet are tied. Their mouths have also been plastered by the Thais.

All in the spirit and solidarity of Asean. They are now as helpless as the victims that they are suppose to help. The Thais certainly are adept at this game.