Nail Ban Proposed

[george]

Nail ban proposed

BANGKOK: -- The Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc) is to consider banning the possession of three to five inch nails which are being used by militants to blow out the tyres on police and military vehicles.

Isoc was also planning to ban by-passers from stopping or sleeping in rubber plantations, Fourth Region chief of staff Major General Chamlong Khunsong said.

The ban on nails was an attempt to stop militants from using them as road spikes to prevent or slow pursuit after attacks.

Chamlong said a decision would be made this week.

Isoc last week passed a regulation prohibiting males in the three Muslim-majority provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, as well as four Malay-speaking districts in Songkhla, from riding pillion on motorcycles. Women are permitted to do so but on condition they do not cover their faces.

Many of the target killings carried out by militants are done by gunmen riding pillion.

Chamlong claimed the measure had a great deal of public support.

Militants yesterday used 100 nails as roads spikes to disrupt police in Yala's Raman district.

In Pattani's Sai Buri, a retired government official, Suthep Petchinda, 68, survived an attempt on his life. Suthep was selling goods in his small shop when a gunman walked up and fired several shots at him.

--The Nation 2007-04-03

[crudy21]

Banning nails? Am i reading this right?

[ColPyat]

Banning nails? Am i reading this right?

Yes, you are. These nails, called 'Luah Bai', are endemic. But i doubt if this proposed new law will have any impact on the insurgency at all.

Just another sign of desperation.

[posh]

Guess I need to stock more nails for my coming renovation

[khall64au]

Has there ever been a proposal for banning unlicensed firearms (plus huge serrated daggers and wayward machetes) ?

[Pattayaman]

This shower of clowns make Blair and Bush look inteligent

[backflip]

intelligent

[ovenman]

Has there ever been a proposal for banning unlicensed firearms (plus huge serrated daggers and wayward machetes) ?

If I remember correctly, the powers-that-be were touting a ban or restriction on the sale of pipe a couple years back. No pipe = no pipe bombs... or something like that.

[sriracha john]

SIM card registration was supposed to eliminate mobile phone detenations...

[Scott]

I don't think it's too hard to stay one step ahead of the powers-that-be that come up with these ideas. In fact, I am sure for the insurgents it's little more than a challenge. It probably acts more of a motivator to them than anything else.

[ColPyat]

Banning nails? Am i reading this right?

Yes, you are. These nails, called 'Luah Bai', are endemic. But i doubt if this proposed new law will have any impact on the insurgency at all.

Just another sign of desperation.

Was'nt april fool's day on saterday?

Nops, no april fool's joke.

Usually after an incident a separate team of the insurgents spreads a few hundred of sort of nails shaped in a bent 'Z' on the roads, delaying the arrival of the security forces at the scene. Cheap and very effective. When you drive around Red Zone areas you are always on the look out for those nails.

[andook]

My DIY plans for putting up some shelves at home may now have to be brought forward a little. Or even.....ahem,....shelved.

[sriracha john]

There doesn't seem to any shortage of nails in other parts of Thailand. My motorcycle tires are constantly finding them in the far left lanes of most roads....

[ColPyat]

Here is an example of those devices:

[lordsux]

My DIY plans for putting up some shelves at home may now have to be brought forward a little. Or even.....ahem,....shelved.

Going native I see

[CymruAmByth]

My DIY plans for putting up some shelves at home may now have to be brought forward a little. Or even.....ahem,....shelved.

Going native I see

Great tits young man!

[Laulen]

A ludicrous knee-jerk suggestion! Shares in DIY quoted stock will plummet!

It is a desperate situation by all accounts in the far South. Isn't there anyone who can start 'winning hearts and minds' with infrastructure projects and other financial aid to persuade locals that living in peace is preferable any day to daily insurgency and terrorist attack.

Or am I just naive?

Edited April 3, 2007 by Laulen

[QualityTouristNumberOne]

They'll just switch to bamboo slivers,what then?.

Ban bamboo next?

[ColPyat]

A ludicrous knee-jerk suggestion! Shares in DIY quoted stock will plummet!

It is a desperate situation by all accounts in the far South. Isn't there anyone who can start 'winning hearts and minds' with infrastructure projects and other financial aid to persuade locals that living in peace is preferable any day to daily insurgency and terrorist attack.

Or am I just naive?

There are a lot of "minds and hearts" projects going on.

But i fear that it simply is too late. Most people want to have peace. But it is very difficult to win the trust of the people when even reasonable demands not just asked by the insurgents, but by the main population - such as the use of Yawi as a second government language in the three Changwats - are rejected by Prem, and when the Surayud government has shown its insincerity by not arresting the responsible officers for Tak Bai.

The tedious and dangerous work by many people on the ground is hindered by such block headed nationalism of Bangkok.

The insurgency is too advanced, the insurgents far too well organized, and the huge problem of a almost imminent ethnic/religious war is ignored by the government. In reality - the insurgents are leading on all fronts, and the government is still in the process of experimenting with different solutions for which the insurgents so far have the right strategic answer prepared.

[greenbug]

Can the government mark the nails and other items with some type of microscopic marker sprayed on at the shops? DNA seems to identify a lot of criminals nowadays why not add artificial 'DNA' to items that the enemy seems to be using regularly if they really believe there is a serious problem with that particular item. The government probably could probably even mark suspects without them knowing such as when they are checked at road blocks. They could even mark motorcycles so that they would leave traces wherever they were parked or stopped eg- at the scene of a shooting. Maybe I've seen to many of those forensic crime shows on TV. Is the Thai government trying anything creative? Have they?

[ratcatcher]

"Nine Inch Nails"

Thus this band would be banned?

[A_Traveller]

Can the government mark the nails and other items with some type of microscopic marker sprayed on at the shops? DNA seems to identify a lot of criminals nowadays why not add artificial 'DNA' to items that the enemy seems to be using regularly if they really believe there is a serious problem with that particular item. The government probably could probably even mark suspects without them knowing such as when they are checked at road blocks. They could even mark motorcycles so that they would leave traces wherever they were parked or stopped eg- at the scene of a shooting. Maybe I've seen to many of those forensic crime shows on TV. Is the Thai government trying anything creative? Have they?

Interestingly enough there is a existing technology similar to that you are describing. Applications I know of are vehicles and electronic components. Not a simplistic task, and the risk of false positives with items such as the nails might be problematic. I wonder if anyone is looking at these ideas as well.

Regards

[ColPyat]

Interestingly enough there is a existing technology similar to that you are describing. Applications I know of are vehicles and electronic components. Not a simplistic task, and the risk of false positives with items such as the nails might be problematic. I wonder if anyone is looking at these ideas as well.

Regards

In Thailand?!

[Artisi]

what will be next - screw-driver blades, reinforcing steel, large fish hooks, table forks, just to mention a few items that could be fashioned into tyre piercing implements.

It will never cease to amaze you the intelligence or lack thereof displayed daily in this country.

[TAWP]

Those pictured nails are crap. Takes way to many to puncture a tire, since most will never hit it at an critical angle.

Here is the real deal:

Maybe the insurgents need to go to a trainingcamp...

[gummy]

Now a screw ban would be even more difficult to enforce. Can you imagine the headlines:- Thousands of couples thrown in prison for having a screw.

[wintermute]

Banning nails..that's hilarious. Apparently firearms are illegal in the south but that hasn't stopped them from obtaining military grade assault rifles or grenades. Also, what the hel_l are they thinking? The "ban this and that" attitude just shows how completely out of touch they are with the reality of the situation.

[Dakhar]

Can you feature the deal:

No man, I got all the AK 4/ I need could ever need.

I just need nails man! Nails, ever since they banned them, I just can get them any more!

[ColPyat]

Those pictured nails are crap. Takes way to many to puncture a tire, since most will never hit it at an critical angle.

Here is the real deal:

Maybe the insurgents need to go to a trainingcamp...

The one pictured works well enough, it was used down south.

And no, given that the insurgents are presently well in the lead of the conflict, it appears their training seems to be sufficient enough.

[jetjock]

Thailand could learn from the US government by the way they approached our drug problem here in the US and that is to spend millions of taxpayer money on educational and media campaigns with the theme : JUST SAY 'NO' TO NAILS