BANGKOK (AA) - July 26, 2012 - The leader of Muslims in Thailand, Aziz Bitakumpun, has said that there were no problems between the Muslims and Buddhists in Thailand.
In an exclusive interview with the Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday, Bitakumpun said that the Muslims and Buddhists shared life in Thailand.
"Islam is not a new phenomenon in Thailand. For centuries, Muslims have been a part of Thailand," Bitakumpun stressed.
Reminded by the AA correspondent about acts of violence against the Muslims in the south of Thailand recently, Bitakumpun said that there were some misunderstandings among individuals in southern Thailand.
"Acts of violence take place in southern Thailand from time to time. There are more than eight million Muslims living in Thailand," Bitakumpun noted.
"Clashes in southern Thailand have an historic past. The thoughts of humans have not changed yet," Bitakumpun stated.
"We need to provide good education to the Muslim youth starting in the south of Thailand. We can correct behaviours only with a good education," Bitakumpun said.
"Following the incidents in southern Thailand, there has not been an attitude against the Muslims across the country. The Muslims are loyal to Thailand," Bitakumpun stressed.
"We have good relations with all Muslim countries. Many Thai Muslim students receive education in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt," Bitakumpun underlined.
-"We expect opportunities from Turkey for education of Muslims"-
Bitakumpun's office has a crucial place for the inner world of Muslims in Thailand.
"The Muslims working in public organizations in Thailand have no difficulties during the holy month of Ramadan and days of feast," Bitakumpun noted.
"Muslim public officials, including military and police, can take days off during holy Islamic days and feasts," Bitakumpun stated.
"We have demands from the Islamic world and Turkey. Education and scientific works are important in Islam. We expect the Islamic world and Turkey to provide opportunities for the education of Muslims," Bitakumpun stressed.
"Turkey can open a school in Thailand for the education of Muslims. Such schools could provide religious education as well as offer courses such as science," Bitakumpun said.
-Special requests from Turkey-
"The Turkish government provides scholarships to Thai Muslims. Such scholarships come through the Ministry of Education in Thailand," Bitakumpun stated.
"We want the scholarships to be distributed by the office of the leader of Muslims in Thailand. Accordingly, the scholarships would be given to more qualified students," Bitakumpun said.
"We are grateful to Turkey for the scholarships distributed to the Muslim youth in Thailand. The Muslims of Thailand pray so Turkey grows and gets stronger," Bitakumpun stated.
-Violence against Muslims in Myanmar-
Touching on the incidents of violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan state of Myanmar, Bitakumpun said that they had very limited knowledge on the reasons for such violence in Myanmar.
"Despite everything, we try to send aid to the region from the north of Thailand," Bitakumpun stated.
"The problem in Arakan is not new and goes back many years. We do want to reach the region ourselves," Bitakumpun stressed.
"Thai Muslim officials at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have made certain initiatives and will bring up the issue of Rohingya Muslims with the Foreign Minister of Myanmar," Bitakumpun said.
"The Buddhists living in Thailand do not find right the incidents taking place in Arakan," Bitakumpun indicated when reminded that Thailand was a kingdom of Budhists and that the violence against Muslims in Myanmar was perpetrated by Buddhists.
"What is taking place in the region will not change the way people look at the Muslims in Thailand and the way Muslims in Thailand look at the Buddhists," Bitakumpun underlined.
-Halal standard and inspection in Thailand-
The government of Thailand has built a large mosque, social complex, and multi-use auditoriums for the office of the leader of Muslims out of Bangkok.
There is a laboratory which inspects "halal standards" and issues certificates as part of the social complex.
The "halal standard" is widely used across Thailand.
All companies in Thailand, including world brands, have to have a "halal" certificate in order to sell their products within the country.
Reporting by Ali Ihsan Cam / A. Erkan Yigitsozlu
