Currently, Thailand and Malaysia are facing a problem that sounds all too familiar to Americans. The trafficking of drugs, humans, and violent Muslim groups in southern Thailand have led the Prime Ministers to discuss a plan for building a wall between the two countries. One one hand, it would curb the serious threat of the Syrian backed groups, who have reportedly killed over 6,000 civilians, located in Thailand, from spreading. Once these terrorists conduct bombings and other acts of terrorism they often flee to Malaysia for protection, which then provides a safe house for terrorists. Because the majority of violent activity originates in Thailand’s borders, it’s understood that Thailand would be responsible for paying for most of the wall.
However, the bigger part of me cant seem to get behind another construction of a wall. Realistically, criminals and terrorists with such a strong ideology who are willing and expected to die for their beliefs aren’t going to let a wall stop them. In regards to the trafficking conflict it’s much the same. A wall only provides a physical stop, but does not stop ambition. If a state(s) is so concerned with the illegal flow of goods and services the initial step should be more diplomatic and more strict legislation should be enforced. A wall provides a short term solution to a long term problem as demonstrated by the construction of the Great Wall of China, which only temporarily ceased Mongolian offenses at the expense of thousands of Chinese lives.
Overall, as demonstrated by history and the basics of psychology, a wall separating Thailand and Malaysia is an act of isolation and would be ineffective in it’s purpose.