More Killings In Southern Thailand

[ColPyat]

i totally disagreed with the Aceh autonomy. pancasila, not sure of spelling, was the acceptance of all the various cultures and beliefs of that huge cultural olio that is Indonesia. Aceh is now, more than ever, forcing the Muslim view on all the inhabitants of their newly found "autonomous" possesion. may Thailand not make the same mistake.

In reality though that never happened, this acceptance of all various cultures and believes. What happened was Suharto (thank you, US, another one of your huge miscalculations that ended up in millions of dead). What happened was transmigrasi as well, in which landless population of the more overcrowded islands were put into other islands such as Borneo, causing huge social problems leading to several wars and massacres.

And what is your problem with Aceh automomy, would you want 30 years more war? At least that way the East Timor situation was avoided by having a negotiated autonomy. Yes, Aceh has a stronger form of Islam than in most of Indonesia, but at least there is peace, and the ideals of JI and such are not realized there.

[Jai Dee]

The military impose curfews in the southern districts of Yaha and Bannang Sata

The Fouth Army Region has declared a curfew in Yaha (ยะหา) and Bannang Sata (บันนังสตา) districts, Yala Province.

The announcement follows a spate of violent incidents occurring in the southern province recently. Fouth Army Region Commander Lieutenant-General Wiroj Buacharun (วิโรจน์ บัวจรูญ) said that under the current situation, members of the public are prohibited from wearing clothes or uniforms that look similar to military ones.

Local residents are prohibited to leave their residents from 8:00 p.m. until four o'clock in the morning. People are not allowed to use mobile phone frequencies without permission from authorities. Members of the public are urged to report suspected objects or unusual situations to authorities.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

PM says issuance of Yala curfew is within authority of Region 4 Army Commander

The Prime Minister indicates that the issuance of curfew in 2 districts of Yala province was the prerogative of the Region 4 Army Commander.

Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont said that the recent spate of violence in the three southern border provinces has resulted in a declaration of curfew in Yaha (ยะหา) and Banangsata (บันนังสตา) distrits of Yala province. Gen Surayud revealed that the imposition of a curfew was within the authority of the Region 4 Army Commander.

The Prime Minister believed that southern officials and the regional Army Commander would have the clearest understanding of local issues, and are in the best position to solve problems. Gen Surayud said that resolving the southern unrest would require deference to His Majesty the King's advice on understanding, being united and rational.

He added that the approach to could be made through national reconciliation policy, flexibility, and sacrifice.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

[John K]

Plus,

I think you hit on something, as you said the people in the south don’t trust the government. So if that is the case then perhaps bring in some UN (or whoever they trust) people to do the interrogations. At least that should help keep things in line and limit infighting.

[Jai Dee]

Several thousand Yala residents join a street demonstration in the southern border province’s Betong district yesterday to denounce Wednesday’s brutal slaying of nine Buddhist passengers in a shuttle van. They called for tougher action from authorities against insurgents, who were blamed for the attack.

Source: The Nation - 16 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Soldiers help fan unrest in Thai south: separatists

Soldiers have helped fan deadly unrest in southern Thailand, a separatist spokesman was quoted as saying Friday.

"There have been instances where militants were blamed for 'tahan pran's' misdeeds," Abu Najhan was quoted as saying in Malaysia's The Star newspaper.

He said 'tahan pran' are undisciplined Thai soldiers who usually sport long hair.

"'Tahan pran' are troublemakers," Najhan was quoted as saying.

The newspaper identified him as the executive member of the Patani United Liberation Organisation and said he was also speaking for four other separatist groups.

Thailand's army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said recently that Malaysia had helped the kingdom make some progress in opening talks with Islamic separatists along their shared border.

But Thai government officials have long admitted they do not know exactly whom to talk to. The insurgents never claim responsibility for their attacks or make any specific demands.

An older generation of rebel leaders have expressed a willingness to talk, but have shown little control over the young fighters on the ground.

"The government has been unable to identify the leadership of the insurgency. Indeed, it is not clear that there even exists an overall leadership capable of controlling the various groups committing the violence," are port by the International Crisis Group, an independent group of researchers working to resolve conflict, said Thursday.

It said Thailand must balance a military response with ongoing efforts to launch peace talks.

Surayud and Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmad Badawi agreed last month to boost cooperation in a bid to end separatist unrest in the south of the majority Buddhist kingdom.

Malaysia has tightened border security since the leaders met but despite their improved cooperation, violence has worsened.

Southern Thailand, which was once an autonomous Malay sultanate, has a long history of separatist unrest. The latest conflict erupted three years ago and has claimed about 2,000 lives.

Source: The Nation - 16 March 2007

[Jai Dee]

Driver of attacked bus says insurgents dressed like army

Mr. Abdullahman Kordae (อับดุลลามัน คอเดะ), the driver of a shuttle van commuting between Betong and Hat Yai that was under attack by Yala insurgents on March 14th, says at least 10 insurgents opened fire at the bus, and all of them were dressed in army uniforms.

Mr. Abdullah says he was a bus driver for only three days prior to the shooting. On the day of the assault, his bus was carrying 10 passengers, and he was going to pick up another passenger at Ban Patae intersection. However, a tree blockaded the road, and suddenly, more than 10 people wearing army uniforms and combat boots with M-16 rifles opened fire at the bus. Mr. Abdullah says he tried to drive away from the insurgents but the bus rolled over, allowing the gunmen to attack the passengers.

Mr. Abdullah says he later ran away from the bus and spotted a group of field army officers. He told the officers about the shooting, and later the army and the insurgents opened fire at each other before the insurgents fled away.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

[Plus]

bring in some UN (or whoever they trust) people to do the interrogations.

At least once, during Tangyonglimo hostage crisis, locals demanded Malaysian journalists to cover the story. Will they welcome UN peacekeeping force? Will Thailand welcome UN peacekeeping force?

In any case, peacekeepers do not administer countries and do not deliver justuce - that is something Thailand has to learn to do on its own. At the moment the South is a lawless place - not because there aren't enough laws, because no one abides by them and no one can enforce them.

I think, in perspective, Russians did the right thing in Chechya, sure there were excesses, but it was the only way to move forward, you MUST have the situation under control and you MUST enforce the laws, even if the costs are high. The alternative is a lawless, bandit state, whether it Chechnya or Thailand's south. Those juwae, the fighters, are completely out of control, they listen to nobody and kill at will.

Once they grow up and mature a little bit, they'll lay claim to real power and enforce their own laws, or even let jihadis take over.

So yes, I advocate house to house searches, fingerprinting everybody, easier detention of suspects - full blown martial law. If the government forces appear as just and fair, people will accept and cooperate. Some, of course, will raise a hel_l of a stink but it must be taken in stride, just like Russians did.

However it will only work if the government and the rest of the population agree on the end goal - be it autonomy, locally elected government, use of local language etc. etc. Both the government and the people will have to agree to make sacrifices towards that common goal.

[John K]

There is getting to be a lot of confusion here and it almost suggests that there are several independent packs of animals.

But Thai government officials have long admitted they do not know exactly whom to talk to. The insurgents never claim responsibility for their attacks or make any specific demands.

humane Adjective: 1. Characterized by kindness, mercy, or compassion: a humane judge.

2. Marked by an emphasis on humanistic values and concerns:

Adjective inhumane 1. cruel and savage, not humane

apparently some of the people in the Thai government see them as subhuman too every time they refer to their actions as inhumane.

[John K]

Plus you are right on that. I can’t add much to it only that it is difficult to apply logic to something that is illogical. For the Thai government not being able to identify the demands or who to talk to suggests just random violence by several small independent groups. If that is true the up side is they will eventually turn on each other, the down side is not until after they kill everyone else. Nature fixes it’s own mistakes, but I don’t think we can afford to wait for nature.

[Mid]

that's a very broad brush you wield there JK ,

pity it still misses large sections ................................

[Jai Dee]

Gunmen shot village headman and his friend in Yala

A group of four insurgents opened fire at a village headman in tambon Ke Ro in Raman district of Yala province this morning (Mar 16). Two people were injured

The 56-year-old village headman, Mr. Arwae Salumor (อาแว ซาลูมอ), and his friend, Mr. Mahama Mataesila (มาหะมะ มะแตสีละ), 30, were drinking tea at a teashop in tambon Ke Ro this morning before they were shot. The four gunmen rode two motorcycles and parked in front of the teashop, and they started shooting at Mr. Arwae and Mr. Mahama with HK rifles. Mr. Arwae was shot in the leg while Mr. Mahama was seriously wounded from the assault. Both of them are now being treated at Raman Hospital.

Pol. Maj. Paitoon Chuchaiya (ไพฑูรย์ ชูชัยยะ), the superintendent of Yala Provincial Police, says the attack was instigated by the southern insurgents who wanted to create another unrest situation in the deep South.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 16 March 2007

[John K]

that's a very broad brush you wield there JK ,

pity it still misses large sections ................................

Yes I know, however politicians hardly ever come out and say things straight forward as they must step on egg shells. The question is how much micro analyzing does it take to realize that micro analyzing does not work on a situation like this.

[John K]

Insurgents attack camp, ranger injured

(BangkokPost.com) - Insurgents opened fire at a ranger base in Songkhla province at midnight on Friday, injuring one ranger.

Police said about 10 insurgents, armed with war weapons, coming on five motorcycles attacked the camp in Saba Yoi at around ten minutes after midnight. They fought with the rangers for about 10 minutes before fleeing.

Police rushed to the scene and chased the insurgents. A male teenager was caught in relevant to the case.

But soon after the suspect was arrested at a house, a group of villagers began to gather and pressure the police to release the suspect. So police only took his photo and put his name in their file without arresting the man, for fear that violence would get out of hand.

According to news report, the father of the suspect, after learning about his son's involvement in separatist movement, took off his own shoe and used it to slep the son's face.

[ColPyat]

Insurgents attack camp, ranger injured

(BangkokPost.com) - Insurgents opened fire at a ranger base in Songkhla province at midnight on Friday, injuring one ranger.

Police said about 10 insurgents, armed with war weapons, coming on five motorcycles attacked the camp in Saba Yoi at around ten minutes after midnight. They fought with the rangers for about 10 minutes before fleeing.

Police rushed to the scene and chased the insurgents. A male teenager was caught in relevant to the case.

But soon after the suspect was arrested at a house, a group of villagers began to gather and pressure the police to release the suspect. So police only took his photo and put his name in their file without arresting the man, for fear that violence would get out of hand.

According to news report, the father of the suspect, after learning about his son's involvement in separatist movement, took off his own shoe and used it to slep the son's face.

And this article somewhat refutes your (and others) previous claim that the insurgents would only cowardly attack unarmed civilians. The Rangers, or 'dahan paan', are an elite force of volunteers under army command, highly trained, experienced and mostly used in the thickest battles and most sensitive border areas.

[ChiangMaiAmerican]

Insurgents attack camp, ranger injured

(BangkokPost.com) - Insurgents opened fire at a ranger base in Songkhla province at midnight on Friday, injuring one ranger.

Police said about 10 insurgents, armed with war weapons, coming on five motorcycles attacked the camp in Saba Yoi at around ten minutes after midnight. They fought with the rangers for about 10 minutes before fleeing.

Police rushed to the scene and chased the insurgents. A male teenager was caught in relevant to the case.

But soon after the suspect was arrested at a house, a group of villagers began to gather and pressure the police to release the suspect. So police only took his photo and put his name in their file without arresting the man, for fear that violence would get out of hand.

According to news report, the father of the suspect, after learning about his son's involvement in separatist movement, took off his own shoe and used it to slep the son's face.

The catch and release program is a BIG part of the problem. "Villagers" must learn that there is a consistent rule of law. Releasing terrorists, no matter how young, only adds to the myth of invincibility. How do the police know this kid wasn't involved with the same group that killed the 8 Buddhists? This is just like Thailand's war with Japan during WWII. Surrender rather than fight because the warriors fear death.

Edited March 17, 2007 by ChiangMaiAmerican

[John K]

Insurgents attack camp, ranger injured

(BangkokPost.com) - Insurgents opened fire at a ranger base in Songkhla province at midnight on Friday, injuring one ranger.

Police said about 10 insurgents, armed with war weapons, coming on five motorcycles attacked the camp in Saba Yoi at around ten minutes after midnight. They fought with the rangers for about 10 minutes before fleeing.

Police rushed to the scene and chased the insurgents. A male teenager was caught in relevant to the case.

But soon after the suspect was arrested at a house, a group of villagers began to gather and pressure the police to release the suspect. So police only took his photo and put his name in their file without arresting the man, for fear that violence would get out of hand.

According to news report, the father of the suspect, after learning about his son's involvement in separatist movement, took off his own shoe and used it to slep the son's face.

And this article somewhat refutes your (and others) previous claim that the insurgents would only cowardly attack unarmed civilians. The Rangers, or 'dahan paan', are an elite force of volunteers under army command, highly trained, experienced and mostly used in the thickest battles and most sensitive border areas.

Yes I agree it is inconsistent. Perhaps it was a direct response to something that pissed them off. There was another story yesterday about several people arrested for the van shooting but I can’t seem to find the link today. I can’t say if that was the reason but it somehow seems to fit. They can dish it out but can’t take it.

[John K]

Per the above post

Massacre suspects in custody

Fourteen suspects, mostly young men, are being detained at an army camp in Pattani for questioning in connection with the ambush of a passenger van in Yala on Wednesday in which eight civilians were brutally murdered, army and police sources said yesterday. The 14 were rounded up by police and army ranger units in raids on 17 locations in Yaha district after a curfew was slapped on Yaha and Bannang Sata districts on Thursday night, the source said. The curfew is in effect from 8pm to 4am.

They were transported to the Ingkayutthaboriharn army camp in Pattani for questioning.

Army spokesman Col Akkara Tipparoj confirmed the detention of six suspects. A senior police source said the total number of detainees had reached 14 last night.

Army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said the army would declare more curfew zones if insurgent violence escalates in areas outside the current curfew, now imposed in Yala and Bannang Sata.

''It depends on the gravity of the situation,'' said Gen Sonthi, who is also chairman of the Council for National Security.

He insisted the army would take all factors into consideration before deciding to extend the curfew. The army is fully aware the restrictions will affect local people's way of life, Gen Sonthi said.

''People have to travel and make a living. So, we're trying to minimise any inconveniences we might cause,'' he said.

A military source said if the curfew was to be widened, it could cover Rangae and Rueso districts in neighbouring Narathiwat where insurgent attacks are particularly frequent.

Gen Sonthi confirmed specific areas of Narathiwat would be brought under the curfew blanket if flare-ups in the province worsened.

He also said the army was dispatching 20 additional ranger companies to the deep South. They are expected to arrive in the strife-torn region by April 1.

The van ambush has pushed the number of insurgent-related killings in the deep South to 2,135 since separatist violence resurfaced with a raid on a military arms depot in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district on Jan 4, 2004.

Meanwhile, several local academics and residents welcomed the Fourth Army's decision to impose the curfew, although some local Muslims felt that their religious activities were disrupted because of it.

Srisompop Jitpiromsri, a political science lecturer at Prince of Songkla University, said he agreed that a curfew should be in place where authorities did not have complete control of the security environment.

However, the academic cautioned the authorities to keep in mind that the curfew should not adversely impact people's everyday lives, especially with regards to Muslim people's religious activities.

Mae Jae-ngoh, a 54-year-old imam in Yaha district, said the curfew should be curtailed because the violence did not affect the entire district.

''It makes people think all residents of Yaha district are criminals,'' he said.

The curfew runs from 8pm to 4 am, so Muslims were not going to evening prayers at their local mosques, he said.

Para rubber farmers who usually leave home to tap rubber trees at 2am will have to delay their rubber tapping until after 4am due to the curfew.

Despite the limited curfew, daily attacks continued yesterday as a 53-year-old Buddhist man was shot and wounded in Narathiwat's Rueso district.

In Yala's Raman district, four customers were injured when four assailants fired shots into a tea shop.

And in Pattani's Sai Buri district, a 57-year-old retired policeman was wounded in a gun attack.

Meanwhile, Mansour Salleh, a Yala-based project officer of the Media and Justice for Peace Programme, warned that the planned increase in troops to be mobilised to the deep South early next month would only make matters worse.

Mr Mansour insisted that more soldiers was no guarantee of peace and cautioned that rangers under extreme pressure might not be reliable in doing their job.

In other reactions, the Malaysian newspaper The Star quoted Abu Najhan, who claimed to be an executive member of the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), blaming undisciplined rangers for the escalating violence.

The Pulo representative said he was disappointed by unbalanced reporting which could push neutral Muslims into taking sides, possibly fuelling rifts between Buddhists and Muslims.

The International Crisis Group welcomed a change from the heavy-handedness of the Thaksin Shinawatra regime but noted that the reconciliatory gestures are unpopular outside the South.

Source Bangkok post

[ourmanflint]

More bad news....

Attack on Thai school kills three

At least three teenage students have been killed in an attack on an Islamic school in southern Thailand, police have said.

They said explosives had been thrown into the school in Songkhla province before the assailants opened fire on the sleeping quarters.

Seven other students were wounded in the attack late on Saturday, which the police blamed on Muslim separatists. BBC here

Hadn't seen this posted here yet.... I really hope all the do gooders are happy sipping their beers while all these kids die!!

Edited March 18, 2007 by ourmanflint

[LaoPo]

In pictures: Thai school blast

"A boy aged 12 and two boys aged 14 were killed and several pupils were wounded."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6464417.stm

LaoPo

[Pak Chong]

The REAL reason for the rise in high profile attacks is that the Army have reduced their commitment in the South as they are more afraid of an insurgency in the North since He Who Must Be Feared left the country.

The southern insurgents are well aware of this unlike the public and are taking their chance to flex their muscles and intimidate local communities.

So the army has effectively withdrawn and is bunkered in around Bangkok. The south is low on their list of priorities at the moment and Sonthi himself has amitted that without exactly saying why.

I'm sure the army has received advice from their US counterparts on using Combined Action Programmes mixing small army teams with local militia and making friends with the locals. This would be an improvement on the Black and Tans/Rangers they have there already. No wonder the locals dont feel safe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Thailan..._reorganization

For the latest low cost brainwave from ISOC (Internal Security Operations Command) see the Nation on 14th:

http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/03/14/nat...al_30029259.php

Animist amulets to protect buddhists! I guess since they are animist not buddhist they are safe for muslim use also?

Are there any paper birds left over?Maybe they'll help too

[Pak Chong]

The REAL reason for the rise in high profile attacks is that the Army hav

For the latest low cost brainwave from ISOC (Internal Security Operations Command) see the Nation on 14th:

http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/03/14/nat...al_30029259.php

Animist amulets to protect buddhists! I guess since they are animist not buddhist they are safe for muslim use also?

Are there any paper birds left over?Maybe they'll help too

I forgot to add this from: Colonel Manas Khongpan, deputy director of the Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc)..

"The production of the Jatukham amulets will give moral support to Buddhists and help sustain the religion," the colonel said, as if the amulets were linked with the faith.

Many Thai Buddhists mix animism with their religious worship.

Any profits from amulet sales will be spent containing violence and the money will be managed transparently, he said.

abeo nusquam

[ZhangYimou]

how come the muslims only protest when muslims get killed, and not when other muslims kill buddhists?

[Pak Chong]

how come the muslims only protest when muslims get killed, and not when other muslims kill buddhists?

how come the buddhists only protest when buddhistsget killed, and not when other buddhistskill muslims?

how come the catholics only protest when catholics get killed, and not when other catholics kill protestants?

how come the jews only protest when jews get killed, and not when other jews kill arabs?

how come the israelis only protest when israelis get killed, and not when other israelis kill palestinians?

Don't you know there's a war on?

[John K]

Do you have any statistics on Thai troop strength and where they are deployed? It would tend to support your statement. Yes I know that there is a concern that Thaksin will try to exert some force, but I am also aware that everyday Thaksin becomes less and less of an influence. The governments biggest problem now is the appearance of not doing anything.

As for the south the military could certainly train the locals, give them a unique uniform and weapons. That should slow down the animals because they certainly look to avoid a fight and appear to fear death because they don’t seem to willing to explode with their bombs.

[blaze]

Do you have any statistics on Thai troop strength and where they are deployed? It would tend to support your statement. Yes I know that there is a concern that Thaksin will try to exert some force, but I am also aware that everyday Thaksin becomes less and less of an influence. The governments biggest problem now is the appearance of not doing anything.

As for the south the military could certainly train the locals, give them a unique uniform and weapons. That should slow down the animals because they certainly look to avoid a fight and appear to fear death because they don’t seem to willing to explode with their bombs.

This has already occurred- these are the paramilitaries that were referred to. They are the people accused by the locals of killing the students.

[mikethevigoman]

Nine passengers massacred by Muslim insurgents

Yala - Muslim insurgents massacred all the nine passengers in a van in this southern border province in cold blood Wednesday morning, police said.

Police quoted the van driver, who managed to flee on foot as saying that the van was stopped by a falling tree on a village road in Yala's Yaha district at 9 am.

The van was taking nine passengers from Yala's Betong to Songkhla's Hat Yai district.

The driver told police that when he saw the tree blocking the road he tried to make detour to flee from the scene but an unknown number of insurgents jumped out of roadside bushes and blocked the van.

The drive left his vehicle and ran for his life.

He said the insurgents shot the heads of the nine passengers in point blank.

Eight of them died at the scene and the other died at a hospital.

Among the slain passengers were two children aging nine and ten years old.

Source: The Nation - 14 March 2007

How convenient that the driver somehow made it. Sounds like a made up story.

Each time its mentioned shortly in CNN............but howcome it cant be BIG NEWS worldwide.....????? So many killings , and the Goverment does very little...and with so many intl. turists.....why why why......who can shake up the big news medias ?? Then "maybe" the thais will start to do something about it..........maybe

absolutly right, reminds me of that greek headline years ago " earthquake , not many dead " !

[mikethevigoman]

imagine this happening in america ! or anywhere "normal ' come to that,. huge news and programmes interupted, here in thailand, no problem, i am not racist and i have no real knowledge of religion or suchlike but muslims are not getting sympathy with this just more lack of understanding, im lost !

[ColPyat]

As for the south the military could certainly train the locals, give them a unique uniform and weapons. That should slow down the animals because they certainly look to avoid a fight and appear to fear death because they don’t seem to willing to explode with their bombs.

Staying with your vitriolic vernacular - this has happened a long time ago, and that way you only train and equip another sort of "animal", and therefore run the very real risk of escalating an insurgency in a full on civil war.

It is the job for trained and experienced armed forces to counter the violent aspects of an insurgency, the job of politicians to find a solution on the negotiation table. Unfortunately though most of the army here is centered around Bangkok and the provincial capitals, while the combat units in the field have to forage for food as their food allowance has not been paid in months.

[pete_r]

A quick note to say that I disagree with the use of the word "animal" applied to the perpetrators of the massacres and bombings in the South, whoever they are. Atrocities are done by people who de-humanize their perceived enemies, from Abu Graib to the terrorist attacks of Al-Qaeda and others, including the insurgents in the South. By calling these people animals, we are using the same process of de-humanization as they do, and become no better than them, even if our atrocities are limited to hitting a keyboard.

IMHO