Cause and Effect In Thai Jihad

The leaders of the Thai coup, who promised that they would end the Islamist insurgency with diplomacy and appeasement have learned the hard way that appeasement of Islamists demands are only met with even more violence.

The violent insurgency plaguing Thailand’s southern region has never been more deadly, said Sondhi Boonyarataklin, the army chief who led September’s coup, although he added that the unrest remains an “internal problem”.

“We must admit that the insurgent groups are now at their peak,” Mr Sondhi said in an interview with Bloomberg, in which he defended the overthrow of the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

When the junta took control, Mr Sondhi said that resolving the situation in the south was a top priority, but so far little progress had been made. The insurgents “are now trying to expand their network and operations. It is what terrorists normally do,” Mr Sondhi said.

Yet another tea shop was bombed today, with one killed and four wounded. But that was far from the only attack:

Also in Pattani, a bomb exploded minutes after a light truck carrying patrol soldiers passed by Tuesday morning, Thai News Agency reported.

The bomb was detonated in Khok Pho district, shortly after the vehicle boarding a patol unit providing security for local teachers, passed by.

Suspected bombers were believed to have missed the target. No one was wounded in the incident.

While in nearby province Yala, a school and the office of a local government office in the provincial seat were destroyed in separate arson attacks Monday night,

Tuesday morning, an unoccupied house opposite a highway district office in Also in Yala's provincial seat was burned.

The Islamists keep going after schools and government officials.

UPDATE:
Exit question: 1) Is it too soon to start calling this a civil war? 1a) Is this a quagmire for the Thai government from which it cannot possibly extricate itself without giving in to the Islamist demands, which will only fuel further violence?