Buddhist monks and other Thais rallied over the weekend to have Buddhism enshrined in the constitution as the national religion of Thailand. [Some 5,000 blocked traffic outside the parliament building in Bangkok.] With ongoing violence in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim south, such a move is only likely to alienate the country’s religious minorities further. [Reuters, June 10] Three school teachers, all Buddhist, were killed by gunmen in the south [Srisakorn and Rangae districts, Narathiwat province]. Teachers are becoming an increasingly common target in the region. [The Nation, Thailand, June 11]
[On June 8, some 10,000 rallied in front of Bangkok’s golden-spired Grand Palace before marching to the army’s headquarters to demand that army chief and coup leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin to step down and democratic norms be restored. (Reuters, op cit)]
From Madird11.net Security Briefs, June 11
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