We live in troubled times, and the world faces some of the greatest threats since the end of the Cold War a generation ago. The biggest danger to an increasingly civil world is the fight against terrorism. But this is not the only danger. A number of intense and dangerous crises continue to percolate and occasionally boil. Some of these problems have been allowed to fester for too long, and must be brought to a head and solved.

The biggest security threat to Thailand, threats of international terrorism aside, is the behaviour of the military regime in Burma. The generals have held power since 1962, and like all dictatorships have grown arrogant. Since their bloody suppression of a pro-democracy movement in 1988, they have acquiesced in some say encouraged two major projects which menace the very fabric of Thailand. The continuing drug trafficking by the regime's United Wa State Army allies and Rangoon's refusal to address the debilitating refugee situation constitute the two biggest perils to this country.

The government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has tried, like its successors, to adjust to the Rangoon violence. And like its successors, the government refuses to face the reality that the root of the security problem is the military junta itself.

Last May, the generals released opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and promised to open negotiations on national reconciliation and to take steps towards democratic government. There is not nearly enough pressure on Rangoon to keep this promise. Mrs Suu Kyi has told recent visitors she has no idea when or if the generals intend to talk. European leaders told Mr Thaksin and fellow summiteers at the Asia-Europe Meeting that Burma must talk or face total isolation from the European Union by next year. Thailand should back that stance. It is up to the Burmese people to choose their government, and it is time the generals recognised that.

Another regime recently dedicated to tokenism is the government of President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Like Burma, Baghdad has promised the moon. Mr Saddam and his supporters have promised to disarm, promised to stop lying to the United Nations, promised to welcome UN inspectors. Last week, they threw out all foreign media, refused to allow any outsiders to inspect questionable factories and celebrated the supposed election of Mr Saddam with a 100% turnout.

It is encouraging that Baghdad claims that every Iraqi is healthy enough to vote, after highlighting all the sickness caused by the punishing UN sanctions. Still, Iraq must now face a serious, and one hopes united, effort by the UN Security Council to turn from a threat to world peace to a participatory member of the world community. The UN must make it clear to Iraq its options are closed, and further lies to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan cannot be tolerated.

In our own region, we have our own serial liar and still unrepentant trouble- maker. No nation in Asia poses a greater threat to peace than North Korea. The revelation that Pyongyang has broken its promise to halt its nuclear programme in exchange for serious aid and goodwill must be addressed seriously and urgently. China must play a leading role in convincing Pyongyang that, like Iraq, its options are closed. Beijing has long demanded a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, and the world must see how dedicated the Chinese are to this goal.

Burma, Iraq and North Korea are separate nations. Each requires a different approach. The similarity is that they all pose major threats to peace, inside their countries and abroad. In addition, the solution to changing each of these nations is clear. It is time for the world to stop accepting their mere promises to change.