No End In Sight As South Thai Rebellion Enters Fifth Year

[Gary A]

If and a BIG IF the new elected government takes over I expect things to get better. The military government has spent the last year trying to justify the coup. Since you can't negotiate with lunatics I suspect the only approach is to flood the area with soldiers and run the lunatics into Malaysia. I remember some years back that the Thai special forces totally wiped out a couple hundred militants. The militants were crossing the border raiding and when the army came they would run back across the border. They lunatics were carefully watched and when they crossed the border the Thai special forces got behind them, crossed into Malaysia and set up a huge ambush. The regular army then pushed the lunatics back across the border directly into the ambush. Malaysia eventually found out about it. The Thai government apologized profusely and blamed the border crossing on the heat of the battle. Thailand promised to punish the special forces commander. I'd bet that commander is driving a Benz and is enjoying his life. If the army no longer has to try to justify the coup, maybe they can start protecting the Thai citizens once again.

[cnxmike]

As someone wrote before the Thai army probably is better doing coup d'etats or shooting at unarmed civilians than fighting armed insurgents. Their generals rather prefer to sit in the board rooms of big companies than fighting in the forrests of the south.

But insurgery is nothing new in human history. In most cases with a determined policy it was possible to defeat them.

It has to be done not only with military means but also politically. As it was mentioned often before, this war also has a religous component.

So it will be necessary to deport all foreigners from muslim countries to remove agitators. As well no outsider should be allowed to travel to this part of Thailand, unless one has a special permit.

Undercover agents have to listen to the friday sermons in all mosques. Every cleric who has radical opinions must be arrested und put indefinitly into a closed camp.

Stop all cell phone operations and prevent all internet access to make communications more difficult.

Erect a wall along the border to Malaysia to prevent smuggling of weapons and fighters.

Every inhabitant of this area must have a computer readable id-card. Install many check points. At every check point all passers must put their id-cards into a scanner. So after a while the security agency gets an idea, who is travelling where and when. With a sophisticated software it should be possible to filter out those persons, who were always near a place, when an incident happened. It might be a good idea to have a closer look at them.

All suspects must be put into a closed camp indefinitly.

Finally a method which used to be very helpful in the past:

Each village has a couple of respected and influential families. Just take from all these families and from every muslim cleric's family some hostages, at best the sons. And whenever a fatal incident happens in or in an area close to the village, shoot or hang ten of the hostages in public for each dead victim. That always worked so far.

This might sound a little bit radical, but it's completly legal according to the war convention of Geneva.

[sriracha john]

No less radical and an equally viable plan would be to have everyone pray to enlist God's help and have him come down and slay every first newborn son in the region... except for those good, non-terrorist Muslims that mark their door with lamb's blood. It worked well before so there's a proven track record for this plan. It, too, does not violate the Geneva Convention.

Edited January 18, 2008 by sriracha john

[BigSnake]

No hope no peace. SAD

[george]

No drug, al-Qaeda money in the South: Pulo

A longstanding separatist group, Patani United Liberation Organisation, (Pulo) dismissed suggestion from Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont that militants in the Deep South shared similar ideology with al Qaeda terrorist network.

Pulo's foreign affairs chief, Kasturi Mahkota, said such as statement was "vague, baseless and irresponsible" and was detrimental to "the effort of the searching for permanent peace in the areas of formerly known as 'The Malay Kingdom of Patani' which presently comprises of Patani, Narathiwat, Yala and parts of Songkhla province districts."

Kasturi said Pulo stands by "fellow liberation movements" and does not condone "any form of international terrorism" and reject any suggestion that the group receive financial financial support from terrorist groups or have any link with drug syndicates because these activities were against Islamic principle.

He called Thailand's policy towards the Malay-speaking South "racist".

He accused the authorities of turning a blind eye on target killings and assassination and blaming these incidents on the militants.

"The Patanis will never get justice as long as they are subjected to bow to the present discriminatory alien Thai jurisdiction," Kasturi said.

Confusion surfaced Friday when government's spokesman Chaiya Yimvilai, suggested that Al Qaeda may have links to the militants in the South but quickly toned down his statement to state that the insurgents received funding from abroad, as well as drug syndicates.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said there was no evidence to support the claim that Al Qaeda was supporting the southern separatists, saying that they might share similar ideologies.

-- The Nation 2008-01-20

[geriatrickid]

Pulo's foreign affairs chief, Kasturi Mahkota has given the customary denial. However, if the insurgents are not receiving their funding from questionable sources, then it would be a first for insurgency groups. Why would Thai groups be any different than other groups elsewhere that have obtained their money from foreign entities, generic criminal activity and good old extortion? I doubt villagers are holding bake sales, knitting for the cause or having car washes to raise funds. Methinks the spokesperson doth protest too much.

[lazeeboy]

No drug, al-Qaeda money in the South: Pulo

A longstanding separatist group, Patani United Liberation Organisation, (Pulo) dismissed suggestion from Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont that militants in the Deep South shared similar ideology with al Qaeda terrorist network.

Pulo's foreign affairs chief, Kasturi Mahkota, said such as statement was "vague, baseless and irresponsible" and was detrimental to "the effort of the searching for permanent peace in the areas of formerly known as 'The Malay Kingdom of Patani' which presently comprises of Patani, Narathiwat, Yala and parts of Songkhla province districts."

Kasturi said Pulo stands by "fellow liberation movements" and does not condone "any form of international terrorism" and reject any suggestion that the group receive financial financial support from terrorist groups or have any link with drug syndicates because these activities were against Islamic principle.

He called Thailand's policy towards the Malay-speaking South "racist".

He accused the authorities of turning a blind eye on target killings and assassination and blaming these incidents on the militants.

"The Patanis will never get justice as long as they are subjected to bow to the present discriminatory alien Thai jurisdiction," Kasturi said.

Confusion surfaced Friday when government's spokesman Chaiya Yimvilai, suggested that Al Qaeda may have links to the militants in the South but quickly toned down his statement to state that the insurgents received funding from abroad, as well as drug syndicates.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said there was no evidence to support the claim that Al Qaeda was supporting the southern separatists, saying that they might share similar ideologies.

-- The Nation 2008-01-20

yer right

[cclub75]

Anyway... Drugs dealers... Thugs... Mafia... Today Al Qaeda... And tomorrow, probably extraterrestrial lifeforms.

The high powered bullshit machine is running at full speed since so many years.

The South is a mess. And both side (at least) are actively contributing to make it even worse.

Edited January 20, 2008 by cclub75

[Martin]

Blame the Brits for cocking up when they drew the boundary.

[Jai Dee]

PM to travel to Southern Border Provinces

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior General Surayud Chulanont accompanied by Minister of Defense General Boonrawd Somtas (บุญรอด สมทัศ), Army Commander in Chief General Anupong Paojinda (อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา) and National Police Commander Police General Seripisuth Temiyavej (เสรีพิศุทธ์ เตมียาเว) will be traveling today to Songkhla, Yala and Ranong provinces. The high ranking officials are to receive updates on progress made against insurgent elements and unrest in the border provinces.

General Surayud admitted that efforts in the Deep South have begun to stagnate with little head-way being made against insurgents. The officials will meet with security force leaders both to hear reports on the situation as well as to prompt more action.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 21 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

PM says military officers involved in information leaking

On his trip to Songkhla Province, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont admitted that that military officers were involved in leaking confidential matters to insurgents.

However, the premier says the military officers mistakenly leaked the government’s information and they were not used by insurgents. He also requests government units to be more careful to prevent this kind of situation.

Gen.Surayud adds that the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) has received better cooperation from local people. He affirms the military will keep a close watch on the unrests and improve its intelligence unit.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 21 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Military informant shot dead in Pattani

Pattani - A Muslim who worked as a military informant was shot dead in this southern border province Monday morning, police said.

Abdulloh Toh-adam, 40, was killed by a pillion rider while he was riding his motorcycle to Pattani downtown at 8:30 am. He was attacked on the Pattan-Yala Road in Ban Saning village in Tambon Baraho of Muang district.

Police said the man was an informant for military intelligence officials.

Source: The Nation - 21 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

6 killed as Thai PM visits south: police

YALA - SIX Muslim men have been killed and eight soldiers injured in suspected rebel attacks in Thailand's restive south, police said Monday, as the army-appointed premier toured the region.

The spate of shootings began on Sunday, when two Muslims who worked for local government were killed in Yala province and another man was shot dead in front of his house in Narathiwat province, regional police said.

Violence continued as Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont headed to the insurgency-hit region Monday morning, with three Muslims shot dead in separate attacks in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.

A bomb attack in Narathiwat on Monday also injured eight soldiers on patrol.

Local police said the blast was detonated by mobile phone, and prompted a five-minute gunfight between separatists and troops.

Gen Surayud travelled to Yala to check on government projects, and reassured the local community that authorities were doing all they could to tackle the separatist insurgency, which has killed more than 2,800 people in four years.

'Whenever it happens, we will arrest the wrongdoers,' he said. 'The most important thing is the authorities have to keep carrying out the policies.'

Gen Surayud and the junta that installed him have repeatedly vowed to battle the rebellion raging in the Muslim-majority region near Malaysia, but instead have seen killings grow more frequent and brutal.

A new Thai parliament will convene on Monday, bringing to power a government with links to the ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose heavy-handed tactics were blamed for exacerbating the southern conflict.

Source: AFP - 21 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Authorities apprehend 20 suspects in Narathiwat Province

Deputy Director of the Rue Soh (รือเสาะ) Police, Narathiwat Province, Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanapol Meechai (ธนาพล มีชัย) revealed a recent advancement in the search to apprehend those involved in the bombing Army Task Force 39 which injured 8 soldiers.

The task force came under attack while patrolling a railroad in tambon La Loh (ลาโละ) of Rue Soh district. Initial investigations have shown that the explosive device was detonated through the use of a mobile phone connection and authorities have begun to track the phone signal.

After the incident, police and military authorities in the district closed off the area and were able to apprehend 20 suspects. The 20 suspects will be processed by authorities and if checks into their backgrounds pose no suspicious connections they will be released.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 January 2008

[Scott]

Now lets see, first there was the surprise of a lifetime--there are people who are not as devoted to king and country as everybody else is. They would even leak intelligence information! Now, it was a mistake, they really didn't mean to do it and anyway nobody used it! These people need some new spin doctors, the next thing you'll see is a banner saying "Mission Accomplished."

It seems that attacks are getting more frequent (imagine what it would be like if they had inside information--which we know they do't)!

[Jai Dee]

Gen.Anupong says residents from restive south cooperating more with authorities

Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen.Anupong Paochinda (อนุพงษ์ เผ่าจินดา), says the government’s work to tackle insurgency in the three Southern border provinces has been improving as local people has shown more cooperation with the authorities.

The army chief adds that the army is adjusting solutions to the insurgency problem in line with peaceful means in order to end violence as soon as possible. He also expresses his confidence that the situation in the deep South will alleviate.

Gen.Anupong is scheduled to travel to Ranong province today to monitor the operations of army officers stationed in the area.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Seven Soldiers Injured In Roadside Blast In Thai South

Seven Thai soldiers were seriously wounded Wednesday in a roadside bombing followed by a shootout with separatist militants in Thailand's Muslim-majority south, police said.

The soldiers were traveling in Pattani, one of three provinces along the Malaysian border hit by four years of deadly unrest, when the blast occurred, police said.

Militants last week staged a similar ambush that killed eight soldiers.

More than 2,800 people have been killed since the unrest broke out in Thailand's southernmost provinces, which were an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until Thailand annexed it in 1902, provoking decades of tension.

Source: AFP - 23 January 2008

[sriracha john]

Here's an early challenging test for the new government... this first one involving the Foreign Affairs Minister and the second, bigger obvious one of general mayhem in the Deep South involving many ministrial aspects... on top of the serious and pressing economic issues, this is all going be to a tremendous test of their abilities...

Malaysian extradition sought for six Thai Muslim militant suspects

SONGKHLA - Thailand has sought cooperation from the neighbouring country to track down six suspected Thai Muslim militants who escaped from police custody in southernmost Narathiwat province bordering Malaysia earlier this month, a senior Thai Army officer said Wednesday.

Lt-Gen. Viroch Buacharoon, Fourth Army Region Commander, said the fugitives were now confirmed as being at large in Malaysia and that coordination with the neighbouring country is underway to return them back to stand trial in Thailand. The six men escaped from Tanyong police station in Narathiwat's provincial seat.

The fugitives had been in custody for several days while awaiting trial related to more than ten cases of violence in the restive South.

Gen. Viroch also said that progress is being made in the investigation of a group of suspects detained in connection with the killings of eight soldiers in Narathiwat last Monday.

A group of insurgents detonated a highway bomb under an Army Humvee and then emerged from the jungle to execute all eight soldiers in the patrol. It was the single deadliest attack since last June.

As roads are frequently build on a somewhat elevated roadbed, especially in low-lying areas, it is not difficult to burrow a hole from the side of a paved roadway and deposit large-scale bombs which cannot be detected from the road itsef. The tactic is being used to deadly effect.

- MCOT

========================================================================

and today's carnage... more bombings...

7 Soldiers Injured as Militants Detonate Bomb

Militants detonated a bomb targeting a soldier patrol force, injuring seven today.

The police force from Pattani's Tungyangdaeng District police station inspect the scene on local road number 4071 after rebels detonated a bomb that targeted a military patrol truck. Seven members of the team suffered injuries from the attack when the six-wheeled vehicle overturned.

The initial investigation indicates that the soldier team from the 25th military task force were preparing to transfer 30 soldiers to the military base in Had Yai district in Songkhla province when militants detonated a bomb that had been hidden in a tree. The militants followed the attack by opening fire on the soldiers.

Following the incident, a team of about 100 members took part in a manhunt to bring in the militant suspects. Villages located nearby were searched and the team is asking locals to report any abnormalities to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the Pattani governor, along with Region 9 Police Deputy Commander, Major General Korkiat Wongworachart, and Pattani Police Commander, Major General Kreerin Inkaew, travelled to the Maryo District police station to receive a briefing on a case of three drug-associated suspects arrested last Monday. The Pattani governor states that the arrested suspects have given information that militants are involved with the drug trade in the area.

- Thailand Outlook

[Gravelrash]

As someone wrote before the Thai army probably is better doing coup d'etats or shooting at unarmed civilians than fighting armed insurgents. Their generals rather prefer to sit in the board rooms of big companies than fighting in the forrests of the south.

But insurgery is nothing new in human history. In most cases with a determined policy it was possible to defeat them.

It has to be done not only with military means but also politically. As it was mentioned often before, this war also has a religous component.

So it will be necessary to deport all foreigners from muslim countries to remove agitators. As well no outsider should be allowed to travel to this part of Thailand, unless one has a special permit.

Undercover agents have to listen to the friday sermons in all mosques. Every cleric who has radical opinions must be arrested und put indefinitly into a closed camp.

Stop all cell phone operations and prevent all internet access to make communications more difficult.

Erect a wall along the border to Malaysia to prevent smuggling of weapons and fighters.

Every inhabitant of this area must have a computer readable id-card. Install many check points. At every check point all passers must put their id-cards into a scanner. So after a while the security agency gets an idea, who is travelling where and when. With a sophisticated software it should be possible to filter out those persons, who were always near a place, when an incident happened. It might be a good idea to have a closer look at them.

All suspects must be put into a closed camp indefinitly.

Finally a method which used to be very helpful in the past:

Each village has a couple of respected and influential families. Just take from all these families and from every muslim cleric's family some hostages, at best the sons. And whenever a fatal incident happens in or in an area close to the village, shoot or hang ten of the hostages in public for each dead victim. That always worked so far.

This might sound a little bit radical, but it's completly legal according to the war convention of Geneva.

As to my previous reference to Vlad the Impaler of long ago, generally the response that worked is the overwhelmingly brutal one alluded to above. If memory serves Vlad forced Muslim prisoners to eat pig before impaling them endlessly along the roads, seems the opposing foot soldiers feared him more than the mullahs...no 40 virgins if caught by Vlad. As with all religious fanatics there are ways of removing their assumed passport to Nirvanna. Desirable, no, politically correct, no, effective, yes.

In the civilised? world armies do have to dodge the press and so do for the most part limit the atrocities that are common with war. These conventions apply to declared wars, insurgencies should be treated as another matter if they have already thown out the rule book. Do Muslim fighters have this problem with the beheadings etc. In fact they believe they earn merit badges. Wars by ome sided rules may be (marginally) cleaner but are they perhaps longer as many more innocents needlessly die? Is the Thai army up to it, I would agree with a previous poster, their generals have no edge.

[geriatrickid]

Umm kids, Vlad the Impaler strategies won't work. Might upset the folks that live in a bubble. As well, it gets a bit messy what with all the bodies lying around. Public health issues and all that.

[sriracha john]

More on yesterday's blast...

Thai soldiers inspect a bus after a bomb blast in southern Thailand's Pattani province January 23, 2008..

REUTERS

7 gov't soldiers injured in bomb blast in Thai South

At least seven government soldiers were injured in a powerful bomb explosion detonated by suspected insurgents in Thailand's southernmost province of Narathiwat late yesterday, local FM 100 Traffic Radio reported.

The radio said that more than 200 guests were invited to attend a military ceremony in Narathiwat's Rangae district while the bomb was detonated by mobile phone signal.

Initial reports said at least seven soldiers were injured during the blast.

Thailand's three southernmost provinces -- Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani have been troubled with insurgency-related violence which has claimed more than 2,800 lives since 2004.

- Xinhua

==============================================

Followed by today's incident...

Insurgents kill teacher in Pattani

Insurgents shot dead a male teacher when he was riding a motorcycle to school Thursday morning in Pattani province. Suvit Boonsanit, 46, a teacher at Ban Koh Ta school, was killed at 8am in Khok Pho district. Police said two insurgents on a motorcycle were following him before opening fire on him. Police arrested a suspect and confiscated the motorcycle and the gun. They are tracking down

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=125414

Edited January 24, 2008 by sriracha john

[Jai Dee]

Insurgents kill a teacher in Pattani

A teacher was killed in Pattani as he was driving to his school early Wednesday morning.

Two insurgents riding on a motorcycle shot Suwit Bunsanit, 46, on a road which is about 100 metres from the entrance of Baan Koh Ta School in Kok Phoe district.

Villagers took Suwit to a nearby hospital but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police later detained two suspects and motorcycle on suspicion that they involved in the killing.

School director Kanit Pumkaew said Suwit was a native of the district and graduated from the school.

Suwit stayed overnight at the school to prepare an exhibition which was scheduled to open Wednesday morning.

Suwit returned home early morning and was returning to the school to attend the opening of the exhibition only to be killed Kanit said.

The school administration cancelled the exhibition and all classes after learning the killing.

Source: The Nation - 24 January 2008

[Jai Dee]

Buddhist teacher fatally shot by suspected insurgent in southern Thailand

A suspected Muslim insurgent fatally shot a Buddhist teacher as he pulled out of his driveway to head to work Thursday in restive southern Thailand, police said.

The teacher, who worked at a public primary school in Pattani province, was leaving his home to pick up students when a gunman on the backseat of a passing motorcycle opened fire, said police Lt. Ampai Chumchua, an officer investigating the attack at the man's home in the sub-district of Na Pradu.

The victim became the first teacher to be slain this year in Thailand's restive south, where more than 80 Buddhist teachers are among the more than 2,800 people killed since a Muslim insurgency in January 2004.

Police said the attackers, believed to be Muslim insurgents, were hiding outside the teacher's home, waiting for him to leave. After the attack, police surrounded the area, Ampai said.

"We saw them running in a rice field toward the jungle," he said. Police detained both attackers, one of whom was shot and wounded during a chase.

Public school teachers, viewed by insurgents as government collaborators, are targeted along with civil servants and local officials in almost daily attacks in Thailand's southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. The three provinces are the only Muslim-dominated areas in the Buddhist country.

Source: AP - 24 January 2008

[sriracha john]

Just since last night...

Four People Shot Dead In Thailand's Restive South

YALA, Thailand -- Suspected separatist rebels shot dead four people in separate attacks in Thailand's insurgency-torn south, police said Thursday.

A 46-year-old Buddhist school teacher was gunned down in a drive-by shooting early Thursday in Pattani, one of three Muslim-majority provinces bordering Malaysia, police said.

In nearby Yala, another Buddhist, aged 40, was killed late Wednesday in similar circumstances, while a 33-year-old Muslim was shot dead in an ambush Wednesday in the province.

Police said a 36-year-old Muslim was also gunned down in Pattani Wednesday.

More than 2,800 people have been killed since unrest broke out in Thailand's southernmost provinces.

-AFP

[Jai Dee]

Two suspected arrested for allegedly killing a Pattani teacher

Police arrested two men who reportedly confessed of killing a teacher in Pattani on Thursday morning.

The arrest was made after police who was alerted of the attack exchanged gunfire with the suspects for about half and hour.

The suspects, identified as Wae-umeng Dueramae, 22 and Kari Maman, 28, both of Pattani. They suffered gun wounds from the fighting with police.

Source: The Nation - 24 January 2008

[Gravelrash]

Umm kids, Vlad the Impaler strategies won't work. Might upset the folks that live in a bubble. As well, it gets a bit messy what with all the bodies lying around. Public health issues and all that.

Vlad the Impaler methods do work, and yes they are offensive and vile to everybody. It indeeds gets messy. I am not extolling this type of sadistic response, just wondering when it becomes enough is enough and that type of strategy is used. The west (and Thai army) is perceived as weak by Muslims, the belief is to keep raising the level of atrocity until a capitulation is reached.

The west is indeed currently weak or PC, however there is a long long history of sadistic violence in its past, at what stage does this emerge as the answer to various expanding insurgencies. Not a happy thought. If the Islamiststs really believe they can extablish a worldwide Caliphate I believe they will be in for a nasty surprise at some stage. At what level of offence and bestiality do the golves get taken off and the dogs of war really released, not just play acting for the media? The Russians have shown what they will do, the Chinese would be no different. We are not as civilized as we think, it is a veneer that will come off with enough provocation.

Every time I login there are a whole lot of terribly sad murders listed by the posters.

[geriatrickid]

I do not dispute your views on the matter of the Caliphate or the fact that those that are fomenting death and destruction live and act according to a set of rules that are very different than ours and that we must act accordingly. However, modern history shows, and we do live in the modern era, that an overly violent response does not work. The M.O. of modern terrorists has always been to provoke a repressive violent response in hopes that the public would rise up against the authorities. This is what the Red Brigades of Italy and Germany in the early 70's sought to do. The Basque separtists problem in Spain is similar to what we see in Thailand, save that the Spanish authorities have a better grip on the issue and have been able to contain the violence. What brought down the red Brigades was skilled intelligence work and targeted killings. What stopped the IRA was patience and resolve. The British model for dealing with the IRA over the past decade should serve as a lesson for many governments. What the Israelis understand and what most regular folks in the west do not, is that some cultures are predicated on violence and that when one gives a bit, the other party will keep pushing for more and more. Unfortunately, the Israelis cannot do what really needs to be done because it would result in a lot of deaths and bring down the wrath of the world upon it. So instead they opt for 1/2 measures that create suffering and misery for all and only continue the problems. That's sort of the current strategy in Thailand. People in charge sometimes have no idea what to do because the actions of the insurgents are so very different than their own cultural and mores. (That's the plural of morals for non english speakers )

Despite all the stories we hear about psycho violent Thais here in TV, Thailand is not a society predicated on genocide or wholescale destruction.However, under the right conditions it can and it will rear it's ugly head. All it will take is a large act of violence in a northern city for there to be a reaction similar to what one sees in India where Hindus have gone on mob killings of muslims. Many people may not see it, but Thailand is on the edge of such a predicament. Only a similar strategy to what the British used in Eire will bring results. That strategy involved cutting off funding to the IRA( the USA did it's part) and bringing in a neutral party to facilitate negotiations (General Chastelain from Canada did that). Would Thailand accept a neutral intermediary? Will Malaysia help cut the insurgents funding? Until that happens, the problems can't be addressed.

[sriracha john]

A school teacher is transported to hospital after he was shot by gunmen in Thailand's southern province of Pattani January 24, 2008. Police said the teacher was severely wounded in a drive-by shooting, and died upon arrival at the hospital.

REUTERS

Soldiers and police arrest two gunmen after the gunmen shot dead a school teacher in Thailand's southern province of Pattani January 24, 2008. Police said the teacher was severely wounded in a drive-by shooting, and died upon arrival at the hospital. They also seized a motorcycle and a weapon the gunmen abandoned near the scene.

REUTERS

===========================================================================

Pattani killers 'had Krue Se connection'

Two suspected militants arrested hours after the killing of a school teacher in Pattani on Thursday morning are also believed to be part of a group involved in the Krue Se mosque incident four years ago. Police identified the two murder suspects as Waeumeng Dueramae, 22, and Kari Mahman, 26. They were involved in a shootout with a police team which was tracking them after getting information from witnesses who said they saw the two men fleeing from the site of the school murder. They had allegedly killed Suwit Bunsanit, 46, a Buddhist teacher at Ban Koh Tah school. The suspects reportedly told police that they were instructed to kill the teacher as a condition to be freed from the Tarikah group, a splinter separatist group involved in the bloody Krue Se incident in Pattani in April, 2004. "They received their handguns during an early morning prayer in a mosque. They were told that they could leave the group if they could kill a teacher," a police spokesman said when contacted.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=125434

Edited January 24, 2008 by sriracha john

[Scott]

My condolences to the family, friends and students of the teacher.

So, if you have to kill a teacher to get out of the group, I wonder what it is that you have to do to get into the group!

I have a feeling that these two are going to face a lot tougher 'interrogation' than the folks at Gitmo!

[TAWP]

I for one won't be writing any protest letters to Amnesty.