The Association of Southeast Asian Nations remains far too slow to react to such perils. Asean, groping for a more relevant look and feel in the 21st century, must consider whether to address such security threats. The cross-border attacks in Thailand by the Burmese resistance extremists, and the extensive wave of ransom kidnappings by Philippines Muslim terrorists are more examples of a common, regional problem. The bombings in the Philippines and Indonesia are legitimate concerns for the region as a whole. Local investors fear such instability that allows terrorists to kill and injure without justice.
Foreign investors looking at the Asean region see such attacks as a source of political instability.
Make no mistake-the violence in the Philippines and Indonesia reflects on Thailand and other neighbours. Increasingly, terrorists and criminals exploit international borders for their own purpose. Governments and national security forces are far behind the ability of such violent men to cross international boundaries. This is proved almost daily-not least by the Burmese drug traffickers who send their heroin and methamphetamines into Thailand, China, India and further abroad. Indonesia also appears to have no clue who could have killed the Christians on Christmas Eve.