Deep South Trains Suspended

[sbk]

Deep south trains suspended as insurgents kill 4 onboard

NARATHIWAT, June 22 (TNA) – All 16 trains serving the Sungai Kolok-Yala line in Thailand's deep south suspend service indefinitely after suspected insurgents shot dead three railway workers and a police officer aboard a train on Saturday.

Six gunmen aboard the train posed as passengers on a Sungai Kolok-Yala train shot dead three railway workers and a policeman and took his gun. One official was seriously wounded.

The Sungai Kolok train station in Narathiwat was quiet Sunday and passengers must go to Yala's train station to travel further north to Bangkok. Commuters going to Songkla's Hat Yai must travel by bus or van.

Stationmaster Alawi Uma of Sungai Kolok station did not know when service would resume. Passengers holding advance tickets can exchange their tickets for a full refund. He added that it has already noticed passengers, while soldiers and volunteers beefed up security at the station. (TNA) – E004

Four killed as militants attack train in Thailand's restive south

Posted Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:04pm AEST

Four railway staff were killed when separatist militants opened fire on a passenger train in Thailand's restive south, an official said.

Up to four militants were believed to have shot a railway policeman and three other staff at Marubo station in Ra Ngae district, the State Railway official said.

"All four died instantly on the train," the official said.

The train was travelling from Surat Thani to the border town of Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat province.

More than 3,300 people have been killed since separatist violence broke out in January 2004 in the south, which was an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until mainly Buddhist Thailand annexed it in 1902, provoking decades of tension.

- AFP

[rott]

I was on the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok a short while ago, and being the only farang and seemingly the only non-muslim in the carriage i did feel a bit conspicuous. Got no time for these people who think their opinions are so special someone else can die to help prove their point. Evil bastards, may they rot in hel_l.

[scyriacus]

I was on the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok a short while ago, and being the only farang and seemingly the only non-muslim in the carriage i did feel a bit conspicuous. Got no time for these people who think their opinions are so special someone else can die to help prove their point. Evil bastards, may they rot in hel_l.

sorry, rott, but you render yourself conspicuous (like an american)

i was on the train from hatyai to sungai kolok too for an incredible 42 baht and everything was peaceful. what did bother me were the many soldiers with their guns and barbed wires along the route. please don't forget, that this is an occupied country (not free like the rest of thailand)

[rott]

I was on the train from Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok a short while ago, and being the only farang and seemingly the only non-muslim in the carriage i did feel a bit conspicuous. Got no time for these people who think their opinions are so special someone else can die to help prove their point. Evil bastards, may they rot in hel_l.

sorry, rott, but you render yourself conspicuous (like an american)

i was on the train from hatyai to sungai kolok too for an incredible 42 baht and everything was peaceful. what did bother me were the many soldiers with their guns and barbed wires along the route. please don't forget, that this is an occupied country (not free like the rest of thailand)

How exactly did I render myself conspicuous? I made a train journey which I've made many times in the past but this time it just didn't seem right (i've been doing it on and off for 10 years). Yes it was cheap and peaceful, and for what it's worth I am British/English and f---ing proud of it.

I would be interested to see what PB deleted. What offended you about criticism of cold blooded, cowardly, murder? I repeat my statement, I have no time for people whose opinions are so special that they feel free to put somebody else to death (anybody will do) to make their point.

[rott]

Scyriacus, sorry to hear you are still having your replies deleted, perhaps it's because they're as barmy as your first one. Just to restate my position; my sympathies are with those who are murdered - and their families. You seem to sympathise with their (muslim) murderers, who in the name of ''freedom'' feel 'free' to murder the softest of soft targets, i.e. 60 year old school janitors going to work on the bus, or 50 year old school security guards on a tea break, or Buddhist women riding on motor-bikes.

And I still do not understand how I made myself conspicuous. Or perhaps you feel that the 'freedom' you claim to value so much should not be extended to a law-abiding Englishman making a train journey.

[relayer]

FWIW, just made the Hat Yai to Sungai Golok trip and back and it was uneventful.

As usual there were a handful of falang tourists such as myself riding in Second Class, with nary a concern, nor feeling at all "conspicous".

There were also the usual armed Thai security forces patrolling the train, with their usual serious look all the time.

In other words, business as usual.

FYI:

2nd Class: 146 baht (individual "bucket" seats, generally uncrowded)

3rd Class: 92 baht (uncomfortable facing seats, very crowded/noisy with locals)