Topic: 2025 – Reducing Recruitment Capabilities of Terrorist Groups
Country: Thailand
Delegate Name: Brendan Murphy
DISEC
Reducing the Recruitment Capabilities of Terrorist Groups
Thailand
Brendan Murphy
Terrorism is one of the most important issues facing the world right now. It can threaten national security, international stability, and the lives of countless peoples all over the globe. One of the best ways to limit terrorism is to prevent recruitment by these terrorism groups, and the best way to do that is to fix many of the societal problems that lead people to the extremist ideas of these groups. Poor economic and social equality, poor education, and a lack of social mobility are just a few of the problems that terrorist groups take advantage of to recruit members. Social media is also a key way these groups recruit, by pushing their ideas in chat rooms and forums.
Thailand has made many reforms in an effort to prevent terrorism nationally and internationally. They’re part of several committees and conventions in the UN attempting to solve the issue, such as the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism in 2005. Thailand has also been adamant about the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action to Prevent and Counter the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism, which has had the goal of limiting the radicalization of suppressed groups by the terrorist groups. Thailand has both short term and long term plans to prevent terrorism and radicalization from spreading. Thailand has also implemented several different policies nationally to prevent terrorist activities, such as the The Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Financing Act, which made several reforms including the strengthening of the Anti-Money Laundering Office and implementing sanctions according to the UNSC Resolution 1267.
Thailand recognizes that terrorism poses a serious threat to international peace and security, and believes that it is a multi-faceted issue that needs to be addressed at both a nationwide level and a social one. They will continue international cooperation, social and economic development, and policies to counter online radicalization. These policies don’t focus on getting rid of the terrorists that are already there, but instead on fixing the underlying issues that drive people to join these groups in the first place, especially in the country’s southern provinces.
