More Killings In Southern Thailand

[Jai Dee]

SRT closes southern rail line from Hat Yai station southwards

The State Railway of Thailand has instructed the suspension of southern rail line services due to train derailment in Pattani province.

The Public Relations Division Chief of the State Railway of Thailand, Ms. Monthakarn Sriwilas (มณฑกานต์ ศรีวิลาศ), revealed that at 7:25 AM today train number 456 on the Yala-Nakhon Si Thammarat route derailed while enroute to the Na Pradu (นาประดู่) station in Pattani province. Officials report that train number 456 fell completely off train tracks, causing injuries to at least 14 passengers and railway employees onboard.

Authorities report that 2 railroad track areas on the southern train route, including Mai Kaan-Raman (ไม้แก่น-รามัน ) and Maruebo-Thanyongmas (มะรือโบ-ตันหยงมัส) stations in Yala province, suffered sabotage. State Railway employees and local officials are currently investigating and implementing repairs at these locations. Trains departing from Bangkok as of yesterday (May 3) are now only able to reach Hat Yai station.

The State Railway will be reimbursing the cost of travel fares to passengers affected by these incidents. The southern rail line from Hat Yai province southwards will remain closed indefinitely.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Suspected militants derail train in Pattani and burn tracks in Yala

Suspected insurgents derailed a train in Pattani and damaged rail tracks in Yala on Monday. The act injured at least 20 passengers.

In Pattani, the insurgents derailed a train that forced suspension of services in the area.

The passenger train left a station in Yala province in the morning before it derailed near a station in Pattani's Kok Pho district.

Three passenger carriages carrying about 200 people left the track and slid into the verge, slightly injuring 20 people.

Police blamed the incident on the insurgents. Police said they loosened a three-metre section of track in the district, sending the train off the tracks. The derailing resulted in suspending of service to Pattani and Sungai Kolok indefinitely.

In separate attack, the insurgents damaged part of a railway track in Yala on Monday morning, prompting the railway service to be suspended.

Officials found at 6.50am that the insurgents had removed 28 bolts that pinned the track and set fire to wooden railway bridge between Ban Taseh and Ban Klongsai stations in Muang district.

The fire caused minor damages to the bridge.

The service was suspended pending the repair of the section of the track.

Source: The Nation - 04 June 2007

[Mid]

any idea how much Thailand physically exports via this line ??

[Jai Dee]

Insurgents derail southern train; six passengers injured

Hundreds of rail passengers are stranded in Hat Yai and other rail stations and services have been suspended in the wake of a train derailment and coordinated disruptions of train service in three southernmost provinces Monday morning.

Load-bearing tracks gave way on a State Railways of Thailand (SRT) passenger train in Pattani morning after presumed insurgents loosened the bolts on sections of railway track in the three southernmost provinces, causing train derailments and disruption of rail services in the mainly Muslim region.

A Yala-Nakhon Si Thammarat passenger train, carrying about 100 persons, derailed in Pattani, with six passengers sustaining minor injuries.

Police found some 40 bolts removed from the railway line between Khok Pho and Na Pradoo stations, causing the engine to slide off the rails.

There were reports of portions of railway being unbolted in several locations in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, but there have been no other indication of injuries to SRT passengers, crew or railway workers, and no other reports of damage to rolling stock.

In Yala, suspected insurgents pulled out 28 bolts from tracks near Bantase train station in the provincial seat. A portion of the railway line was damaged as tires were burned on it.

All train services along the affected routes have been halted, while officials work on restoring the rails.

Meanwhile, four police officers from teacher protection units were shot by suspected insurgents on Monday morning in two separate attacks in Pattani and Narathiwat.

An early morning roadside bombing injured one police officer in Khok Pho district. The bomb exploded as a teacher protection unit passed through.

An hour later, assailants ambushed police protecting teachers in Narathiwat's Sri Sakhon district. Three police sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to hospital. A combined forces of military and police are searching for the attackers.

Source: TNA - 04 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Insurgents sabotage rail lines along southern route

Insurgents removed railroad fasteners from several locations on the southern rail route resulting in a train derailment.

The Intelligence Center of the Yala muang district precinct received reports from military officials that insurgents have sabotaged railroad tracks from Ban Thaseh (ตาเซ๊ะ to Ban Klong Sainai (คลองทรายใน) station in the muang district of Yala province. Following the report, the Superintendent of the Yala muang district precinct, Pol Col Phumpech Pipatpechphum (ภูมิเพ็ชร พิพัฒน์เพ็ชรภูมิ), coordinated with demolition and forensic experts in conducting investigations at the crime scene.

Investigators revealed that 28 railroad fasteners were removed from rail lines near stations, and that suspect had also laid burned rubber tires along 2 wooden rail bridges. Cans filled with gasoline were also found at the scene. Official report that overall rail lines suffered minor damage. Authorities suspect the incident to be the work of insurgents attempting to create unrest.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Maxi101]

Thai military to crack down on student protests

By South East Asia correspondent Karen Percy

Thailand's military junta is hoping to defuse a five-day-old protest by Muslim students in the town of Pattani in the country's south.

Southern Army commanders are trying to negotiate an end to the protest by about 1,000 students and their supporters.

The students took over a mosque on Thursday, demanding an end to what they see as extreme security measures in the predominantly-Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

Martial law and a state of emergency exist in the provinces along the border with Malaysia, which are home to violent separatist and insurgent groups, as well as criminal gangs.

The past week has been one of the bloodiest in recent time in the south.

On Thursday alone, 21 soldiers and civilians were killed in shootings and bombings.

Early today insurgents are believed to have derailed a train.

source ABC Australia

[Jai Dee]

SRT stops operation of Southern train derailed by insurgents

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) halts the operation of the Southern train after insurgents removed railroad fasteners from many locations of the Southern rail track.

Director of the SRT Southern Center Thanongsak Phongprasert (ทนงศักดิ์ พงษ์ประเสริฐ) says several derailed trains in the three Southern border provinces yesterday (June, 4th) were caused by the removal of railroad fasteners. The train which will stop operating for two days or from 4th – 5th June is the Hat Yai - Sungai Kolok.

SRT has a plan to call a meeting with security units to discuss the derailed train incident in detail. Mr Thnongsak says it is deemed fortunate that only slight injuries have been reported.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 June 2007

[lotus eater]

There seem to be so many perplexing and conflicting elements in this depressing situation.

- it resembles the basque separatist insurgency that raged in spain for years.

- spain quickly granted official liguistic freedoms/rights to the basques; maybe the thais should.

- the thai government on the one hand extends a generous hand but on the other hand the

military also seems to operate south america style death squads.

the sad thing is that thailand and its people seem intrinsically infinitely and genuinely more tolerant of minority) religions/cultures than almost any other national majority e;sewhere in the world. But unfortunately ethnic, linguistic, territorial and nationalistic passions are running up against one another.

[Jai Dee]

Bomb exploded in Yala, injuring 1

Suspected southern insurgents detonated a bomb in tambon Thanto in Thanto district of Yala province, causing injury to one soldier.

Pol. Col. Alongkorn Seemawut, the Superintendent of Thanto Police Station, led a team of police officers to inspect the crime scene. During the inspection, bomb shrapnels were scattered around the area. The injured soldier indentified as Private Narong Pengphibarn, 23, was minorly wounded and has been delivered to Thanto Hospital.

Police say the bomb was hidden near the road and was triggered by suspected insurgents while a team of army officers were patrolling the area.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 June 2007

[Mid]

daily I'm astounded at the apathy for this topic .

[ColPyat]

daily I'm astounded at the apathy for this topic .

So am i.

And sadly, when this topic achieves some attention, it is mostly from the kill'em all folks. Very sad. People seem to ignore that there is an extremely brutal war going on there, a war that most likely is going to escalate soon.

[pete_r]

daily I'm astounded at the apathy for this topic .

So am i.

And sadly, when this topic achieves some attention, it is mostly from the kill'em all folks. Very sad. People seem to ignore that there is an extremely brutal war going on there, a war that most likely is going to escalate soon.

I do follow the events, just don't know what to say or do to improve the situation.

But ok, let's talk a bit: I have this text below that has been doing the rounds by email a few weeks ago, with the comment "Thais wake up!". Supposedly it is a document leaked from the insurgents, giving a 10-year strategy to destabilize Thailand and indicating the involvement of foreign muslim extremists in the South. Fake or not, I don't know, but it is out there and able to give bad ideas to the insurgents. Can anyone who can read Thai comment, and possibly even make a full English translation?

Mods: If this is not appropriate for any reason (dubious source for example), please remove at will. Thanks.

[Scott]

One of the problems with this thread is that it is waaaayyyy too long. I try to keep up with it because it's important, but often I find that I have to backtrack too far to figure out what someone is responding to.

It might be good if they had a monthly thread on the situation in the south. This would be easier to follow.

Just a thought.

[Mid]

daily I'm astounded at the apathy for this topic .

punctuation was omitted purposely as which ever way you apply the grammar it rings true ,

daily , I'm astounded at the apathy for this topic .

daily I'm astounded , at the apathy for this topic .

with regard to foreign insergents , London will get you a Brick , there's no doubt .

a large worry is the lack of any direction from the authorities .......................................

[Jai Dee]

SRT to quickly recover derailed train in Pattani

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has dispacthed its engineers to quickly restore the derailed train carts and damaged railroads in Pattani Province. All Southern trains are expected to resume operation in June 7th.

Chief of SRT’s Public Relations Division, Monthakarn Sriwilas (มณฑกาญจน์ ศรีวิลาศ) says provincial officials have already retrieved a diesel locomotive and three passenger cars of the 456 Yala – Nakhon Si Thammarat train derailed in the morning of June 4th.

SRT has cooperated with security units to safeguard and create confidence among passengers who wish to travel by train to the three Southern border provinces, including Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat. As for those who wish to cancel their trips, they can contact all train stations in the provinces or SRT’s hotline 1690 to refund the tickets or change their trips.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

One of the problems with this thread is that it is waaaayyyy too long. I try to keep up with it because it's important, but often I find that I have to backtrack too far to figure out what someone is responding to.

It might be good if they had a monthly thread on the situation in the south. This would be easier to follow.

Just a thought.

I tend to agree... most of the news clippings about the situation in the south is posted in this thread.

Do you think it might be better if they were posted individually in the Southern Thailand Forum instead?

[ColPyat]

One of the problems with this thread is that it is waaaayyyy too long. I try to keep up with it because it's important, but often I find that I have to backtrack too far to figure out what someone is responding to.

It might be good if they had a monthly thread on the situation in the south. This would be easier to follow.

Just a thought.

I tend to agree... most of the news clippings about the situation in the south is posted in this thread.

Do you think it might be better if they were posted individually in the Southern Thailand Forum instead?

Personally, i believe that the idea of a monthly thread is better than just moving the topic to the Southern subforum, which is hardly visited anyhow. Maybe for big incidents starting separate threads.

But generally - this is news, even though localized in the South, but with national effects.

[Jai Dee]

Personally, i believe that the idea of a monthly thread is better than just moving the topic to the Southern subforum, which is hardly visited anyhow. Maybe for big incidents starting separate threads.

But generally - this is news, even though localized in the South, but with national effects.

Sounds OK to me.

We'll finish this thread with any updates on the train incident, then as new big events unfold they can be posted as new topics and I'll close this thread.

[Jai Dee]

SRT to compensate victims of railway terrorism

The State Railway of Thailand will be providing assistance to injured or deceased victims of terrorism.

The Public Relations Director of the State Railway of Thailand, Ms. Monthakarn Sriwilat (มณฑกาญจน์ ศรีวิวา), affirmed that railway passengers in the three southern border provinces who received injuries due to unrest incidents will be reimbursed for medical services by the State Railway of Thailand. Relativces of deceased railway violence victims will receive funeral expenses totaling 40,000 baht, and compensation on a case by case basis. Ms. Montakarn revealed that rail lines which were sabotaged by suspected insurgents will be reopened for train operations on June 7th.

Meanwhile the Interim President of the Transport Company,Mr. Wuthicaht Kalayanimit (วุฒิชาติ กัลยาณมิตร ), affirmed that his organization will continue to provide normal public coach services from Bangkok to the three southern border provinces, and will be ready to adjust buses in service on the southern route should passenger demand increase.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 06 June 2007

[Scott]

Many thanks Jai Dee. I think you guys are better and figuring out how to deal with the thread.

[Mid]

Insurgents removed track bolts of railway in Yala again

June 6, 2007 : Last updated 12:34 pm (Thai local time)

Yala - Insurgents have removed track bolts of railway in this southern border province but the damages were spotted before an arrival of a train, police said.

Police said 60 track bolts were removed from the section of railway between Raman and Rusoh district stations and railway officials had been alerted to fix them Wednesday morning.

Officials also found that 183 track bolts were removed from the section between Taseh and Yala railway stations and officials had moved in to fix the section.

The Nation

obvious message here , can't watch all the line all the time ................................

edited to add forgotten link

Edited June 6, 2007 by Mid

[Jai Dee]

The train derailing incident and subsequent events are continued in this thread.

/Closed.