Largest Rubber Warehouse In Far South Set Ablaze

[george]

Largest rubber warehouse in far South set ablaze

YALA: -- Suspected insurgents set the biggest rubber warehouse in southern border region on fire early Wednesday, sending clouds of thick, acrid smoke over Yala province as firefighters struggled to control the blaze for more than nine hours, police said.

The warehouse, owned by the Southern Rubber Plant in the provincial seat, was set ablaze shortly after midnight Wednesday.

Firetrucks in the region were mobilised to douse the fire but firefighters and other emergency workers were ubable to bring the blaze under control as of 10am Wednesday, nine hours after the fire began at 1am.

Insurgents suspected of having set the blaze in the region's largest yet arson, scattered spikes over the area's roadways to prevent emergency workers access to the site. It took the firefighters more than an hour to clear the spikes from the road.

The burning fire sent thick smoke blanketing the sky over this southern province. Local authorities sought urgent help from neighbouring provinces to provide additional fire-smothering chemical foam to extinguish the flames.

Company manager Kiart Kittikulsereekam said the warehouse is the largest in Thailand's three southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

Losses have not yet been calculated but initial estimates suggest that the fire has destroyed about 5,000 tonnes of rubber sheet intended for export. Damage is estimated at about Bt 400 million.

Rubber products are a backbone of the predominantly-Muslim region's economy which generate incomes and provides jobs for local residents.

The latest incident occurred after a wave of more than 50 coordinated bombings, arson attacks and ambushes across the region last Sunday, killing seven persons and wounding at least 54 others.

Three suspects were arrested on Tuesday and the authorities hope more of those involved in the violence will be brought to justice soon.

Meanwhile, violence continues unabated as another Muslim religion teacher or 'ustaz' was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Narathiwat Wednesday morning. The victim is identified as Haso Yagariya, 43. He was the second teacher to fall victim less than 12 hours after a Buddhist teacher, a woman, was shot dead in a similar manner.

The victim, Pornthip Tiyapsane, 49, was deputy director of Narathiwat's Sukhirin School.

Some 2,000 people have been killed since violence erupted in this strife-torn region just over three years ago.

--TNA 2007-02-21

[Ned]

Probably owned by Bangkok interests like everything else down there of any value.

Anyone know for sure?

[Jai Dee]

Source: TNA - 21 February 2007

[Jai Dee]

Suspected Muslim insurgents set fire to Thai-Malaysia rubber warehouse

Suspected Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand set fire Wednesday to a large warehouse for rubber jointly owned by Malaysians and Thais.

Smoke blanketed large areas of Yala province as more than 30 fire trucks struggled to douse the flames, police Col. Col. Phumphet Pipatpetphum said.

The fire followed a bold, coordinated assault by separatist rebels which killed eight people and wounded nearly 70 in a 24-hour period beginning Sunday night.

Three people were arrested shortly after the attacks, Lt. Gen. Viroj Buajaroon, regional commander for the south, said Tuesday.

Police said suspected rebels set fire to the largest rubber warehouse in Yala, owned by the Southern Land Rubber Co., a joint venture between Thai and Malaysian businessmen, shortly after midnight and it was still burning more than eight hours later.

Kiert Kitikulseritham, the company manager, said all 400 tons of rubber sheets were believed to have been destroyed, with losses estimated at 400 million baht (US$11.8 million; euro9 million).

He said the company's 500 workers may lose their jobs.

"We will discuss what to do next but I think we may have to shut down the company because there is no safety here. We risk both life and property from the ongoing violence,'' Kiert told reporters.

The rubber at the 8,000-square meter (2-acre) warehouse compound was being readied for export.

Rubber production is one of the few viable industries in the rural provinces of southern Thailand and the Yala company was the only major smoked rubber sheet enterprise in the deep south.

The army said the three men arrested after the Sunday attacks have admitted their involvement.

The attacks took place in all four southern provinces - Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla - where the militants operate. About 2,000 people have been killed in the area in the separatist insurgency that flared in January 2004.

Despite the arrests and increased security, suspected insurgents carried out more attacks Tuesday, including at least two bombings. No deaths were reported.

Viroj said it was still unclear which group was responsible for Sunday's attacks - which included 29 bombings within 45 minutes - but the three arrested suspects had linked the violence to an Islamic militant group and given information about others involved.

He said some were trained by a group known as Runda Kumpulan Kecil, but declined to provide more details.

The shadowy organization is believed by some terrorism experts to refer more to an informal network of separatists who allegedly received indoctrination and training in Indonesia.

The insurgents have not announced their goals, but are believed to be fighting for a separate state under Islamic administration. Viroj said the suspects carried amulets and charms on their bodies and took narcotics and cough syrup to bolster their courage before carrying out the attacks.

The military-backed government has pledged tighter security.

The attacks occurred as thousands were celebrating Lunar New Year, and an army spokesman said the insurgents were trying to frighten ethnic Chinese who celebrate the holiday into fleeing the predominantly Muslim region.

Three people of Chinese descent were shot and killed that same night. Ethnic Chinese in southern Thailand are mostly Buddhists and Taoists.

The bombs weighed 3 to 5 kilograms (6 to 11 pounds) each, and the targets included karaoke lounges, hotels, schools, gasoline stations and power grids.

Violence in the south has been escalating in recent months despite a major policy shift by the military-imposed government, which is trying to replace the previous administration's iron-fisted approach with a campaign to win over local residents.

Muslims form the majority in Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani provinces but have long complained about being treated as second-class citizens in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

Source: Malaysian Star - 21 February 2007

[MiG16]

Probably owned by Bangkok interests like everything else down there of any value.

Anyone know for sure?

does it matter who its owned by?

not sure what your point is......

[Jai Dee]

Photographs by The Manager - 21 February 2007

[Sing_Sling]

Probably owned by Bangkok interests like everything else down there of any value.

Anyone know for sure?

does it matter who its owned by?

not sure what your point is......

I was going to point out the same thing. Bangkok owned, so it is ok? I have a rubber supplies shop and warehouse in Chantaburi. Would it be ok if that gets burned?

[chownah]

Maybe he just wants to know who owned it to see who is being targeted.....not every poster has ulterior motives.....maybe I'm wrong though.....what is my ulterior motive?

[wintermute]

The south of Thailand is looking more like Iraq these days. I wonder what "plan of action" the new government has in store. I'd bet money that the military regime finally snaps and they start imposing brutal measures that will further enflame the region. There's a good possibility that this will be the start of a broader civil insurrection but I am hesitant to say that this may be the beginning of a small scale civil war. Instead of wasting time with their noses up Thaksin's brown spot they should be working to solve the more pressing domestic issues like this before worrying about national face over satellites.

Edited February 21, 2007 by wintermute

[Scott]

But I thought that once Thaksin was gone everything was supposed to be OK in the country?

(PS)--I don't think anybody(posting here) thinks it's OK to burn down other people's property whether it's owned by BKK interest or not. I sure don't.

[Prakanong]

Maybe he just wants to know who owned it to see who is being targeted.....not every poster has ulterior motives.....maybe I'm wrong though.....what is my ulterior motive?

Yeah - they targetted the Chinese earlier in the week and this could be the follow on.

Ruin the economy is their tactic - what do they offer to replace it?

[sriracha john]

Whoever owns it lost a LOT of money...

Associated Press

Reuters

Extremist arson burns 400 million baht of rubber

Southern insurgents on Wednesday set alight Thailand's largest rubber warehouse in the troubled deep South, sparking a 12-hour conflagration that blanketed Yala City in a cloud of black smoke. Insurgents threw firebombs to set the fire. Eventually, firemen from 30 fire trucks fought to control the flames. The arsonists scattered spikes on the road leading to the warehouse to slow down firefighters and emergency workers going to the site. The fire destroyed an estimated 5,000 tonnes of rubber sheet intended for export, with total damages estimated at 400 million baht. About 10 workers who were staying inside the building fled for their lives and no casualties were reported. Sunday's attacks appeared to target the Sino-Thai business community, deemed the backbone of the southern economy.

Most rubber plantations are owned and managed by Sino-Thais.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=116964

[ColPyat]

Maybe he just wants to know who owned it to see who is being targeted.....not every poster has ulterior motives.....maybe I'm wrong though.....what is my ulterior motive?

Yeah - they targetted the Chinese earlier in the week and this could be the follow on.

Ruin the economy is their tactic - what do they offer to replace it?

I believe ruining the economy is only a byproduct. They show that they can strike anytime, anywhere, and against anybody. Their tactics are fear and terror - very effective psychological warfare.

There are some very intelligent minds behind all that.

[wintermute]

Maybe he just wants to know who owned it to see who is being targeted.....not every poster has ulterior motives.....maybe I'm wrong though.....what is my ulterior motive?

Yeah - they targetted the Chinese earlier in the week and this could be the follow on.

Ruin the economy is their tactic - what do they offer to replace it?

I believe ruining the economy is only a byproduct. They show that they can strike anytime, anywhere, and against anybody. Their tactics are fear and terror - very effective psychological warfare.

There are some very intelligent minds behind all that.

It's only going to get worse and they are probably receiving tips from extremist islamic groups from abroad. If any serious advisors from Al Quaeda, Iran, Indonesia, or Syria came into Thailand then this country will be in some deep sh*t if it isn't already. One thing about these groups you shouldn't underestimate is their support abroad. Many of the insurgent groups in Iraq are literally flush with cash from donations to their cause this allows them to re-equip on the blackmarket and gives them innumerable sympathetic safe houses to operate from. Hezbollah also has some of the richest sheikhs and businessmen in the middle east backing their cause.

I imagine that Thailand may be an attractive target to stage a huge insurrection to give the U.S. a blackeye in its own supposed sphere of influence.

Edited February 21, 2007 by wintermute

[blaze]

Maybe he just wants to know who owned it to see who is being targeted.....not every poster has ulterior motives.....maybe I'm wrong though.....what is my ulterior motive?

Yeah - they targetted the Chinese earlier in the week and this could be the follow on.

Ruin the economy is their tactic - what do they offer to replace it?

I believe ruining the economy is only a byproduct. They show that they can strike anytime, anywhere, and against anybody. Their tactics are fear and terror - very effective psychological warfare.

There are some very intelligent minds behind all that.

Absolutely- the scale of damage, expressed in baht terms can sometimes get the headlines that a few beheadings can't (unless Taksin can be linked to them). The scariest thing is that if they haven't thus far won sympathy from Bangkok Moslems for their 'struggle', with dramatic acts like these- that eventuality may not be far off. Maybe not from the majority- maybe only from a small disaffected minority- a but if that happens, ...then the shit will really hit the fan.

Or am I jumping the gun here? I think I am- but in today's world, it would be surprising if there are not some Moslems in Bangkok who regard the south as part of a world wide struggle against the infidel, though they may not have any interest in the separatist aspect of the cause.

[astral]

All they do is screw themsleves.

Sad

[younghusband]

All they do is screw themsleves.

Sad

On the assumption you are talking about the perpetrators of the blaze, I don't follow your point.They look as they have spectacularly advanced their agenda which is to spread mayhem as part of initiating a new political order in the South.The overall economy of the three provinces is not their concern at present anyway as they would see it as under alien rule, and in any case they would probably feel that the" screwees" were just wealthy jek.They don't focus on many Muslim tappers and processors that support the industry, any more than the IRA cared about the Catholic families who suffered during the troubles (although the IRA with nauseating hypocrisy were good at the rhetoric).

The sad truth is that most legitimate liberation movements, nationalist uprisings, terrorist gangs -call it what you like -have their share of psychopaths.Actually the burning of a big warehouse is to me less horrifying than what's happening to ordinary people down there.