The Violence Continues In Thailands Restive South

[Jai Dee]

11 injured in Thai bomb blasts

Two bombs planted by suspected militants wounded 11 people today in Thailand's Muslim-majority far south, where a separatist insurgency is raging, officials said.

In Narathiwat province, a bomb hidden on a motorcycle outside a food market exploded soon after dawn, injuring 10 people including two policemen who were guarding the busy gathering place, provincial authorities said.

The explosives were triggered by mobile phone, police said, but no one was seriously wounded in the blast in Narathiwat's main town.

Later in the same province, a member of the bomb squad was injured when a suspicious package police were inspecting blew up outside a coffee shop. It was also detonated by a mobile phone signal.

More than 3,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured in five years of separatist violence in the provinces near the Malaysian border.

Buddhist-majority Thailand annexed the mainly Muslim, ethnic Malay area in 1902, sparking decades of tension and mistrust.

Source: AFP - 23 March 2009

[malcolmswaine]

That's what, 2 people a day? It's nasty down there ... there are some sick people targeting civvies.

[hansnl]

11 injured in Thai bomb blasts

Two bombs planted by suspected militants wounded 11 people today in Thailand's Muslim-majority far south, where a separatist insurgency is raging, officials said.

In Narathiwat province, a bomb hidden on a motorcycle outside a food market exploded soon after dawn, injuring 10 people including two policemen who were guarding the busy gathering place, provincial authorities said.

The explosives were triggered by mobile phone, police said, but no one was seriously wounded in the blast in Narathiwat's main town.

Later in the same province, a member of the bomb squad was injured when a suspicious package police were inspecting blew up outside a coffee shop. It was also detonated by a mobile phone signal.

More than 3,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured in five years of separatist violence in the provinces near the Malaysian border.

Buddhist-majority Thailand annexed the mainly Muslim, ethnic Malay area in 1902, sparking decades of tension and mistrust.

Source: AFP - 23 March 2009

Where you see the Islam, you see violence and murder.

Look on the globe, and check it out.

I am sorry for the violence the world gets in the name of Islam.

So very sorry for all the pain, the deaths, the destroying of people's life, the cultivation of hate.

[Scott]

Another sad day in the south. It has got to be terrible for the people living there. Since they are talking about introducing Sharia law, I thought there might be a lull--but I guess not.

[henryalleman]

Another sad day in the south. It has got to be terrible for the people living there. Since they are talking about introducing Sharia law, I thought there might be a lull--but I guess not.

Its very naive to think like that.

[NHJ]

i was in narathiwat two weeks ago, not really a place to stay, the atmosphere is heavy and at 10PM everything is dead.

one funny thing is that you have karaoke with the usual karaoke girl, guess they're muslim for what they want ;-)

we also ate in a noodle restaurant with six soldiers and had to stop the car every 5km for the checkpoints.

[Jai Dee]

Police to Issue Arrest Warrants for Bombers in Narathiwat

Local police are preparing to issue arrest warrants for suspects in a bombing incident at a fresh market in Narathiwat Province yesterday. Meanwhile, a security guard has been shot to death in Yala Province.

Deputy Commissioner of the Southern Border Operations Centre, Police Major GeneralYongyud Charoenwanit , said police are currently reviewing video footage from three security cameras that captured the suspects and are gathering evidence before asking a local court to approve arrest warrants.

He said the motorcycle on which the bomb was planted was stolen a few months ago. At least 11 people were injured in the blast near a fresh market in Narathiwat yesterday. Two were badly wounded and are still in hospital.

Meanwhile, in Yala Province, a security guard was shot by three attackers while patrolling Manae Village in Tambon Pa-tae . The guard was sent to hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

Source: TOC - 24 March 2009

[Jai Dee]

9 soldiers injured in Yala bomb attack

Yala - Insurgents ambushed a patrol unit of soldiers with a bomb, injuring nine of them Friday morning.

The attack occurred at 7:40 am on a road between Moo 2 and Moo 3 villages in Tambon La-ae in Yaha district.

Police said the insurgents planted the bomb on the roadside and detonated it with a wired remote control once the personal carrier of the patrol unit arrived at the scene.

Source: The Nation - 27 March 2009

[Jai Dee]

6 soldiers injured in bomb attack in S Thailand

Six Thai soldiers were injured in a bomb attack by suspected militants on Friday morning in Thailand's southernmost province of Yala.

The bomb, which was hidden under a road at Laair village in Yaha district of Yala province, exploded at around 07.40 a.m. local time, while the six patrolling soldiers in a mall truck were passing by, a police official told Xinhua.

After the bomb explosion, the suspected militants, who were hiding nearby, opened fire on the soldiers and the soldiers immediately fired back.

After the suspected militants escaped, the six injured soldiers were later rushed to a hospital for medical treatment in Yaha district.

The country's deep South comprises mainly the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and some parts of Songkla province. Over 3,500 people have been killed in insurgent violence in the deep South since January 2004.

Source: Xinhua - 27 March 2009

[Jai Dee]

Assistant village head shot dead in Narathiwat

Narathiwat - An assistant village head was fatally shot in this southern border province Friday morning, police said.

Mawi Jehta, 36, assistant head of Moo 4 village in Tambon Maruebotok in Ragnae district was shot at his right shoulder and left arm while driving his pick-up truck back home on the village road in Moo 5 village at 9:20 am.

He died on his way to the Ragnae district hospital.

Source: The Nation - 27 March 2009

[Scott]

It seems like the current gov't isn't have much better luck with the South than previous governments.

[Jai Dee]

Pattani provides financial aids to upheaval's victims

Deputy Pattani Governor Pramoon Lamun provided financial assistance on behalf of the province to 18 victims who had been affected by the upheavals.

Mr. Pramoon yesterday (March 27) provided a financial assistance of 2,235,552 baht to a total of 18 victims who had been impacted by the upheavals in the province. The assistance varied depending on the impacts, one victim whose life was lost, their family received 500,000 baht, 3 victims who were categorized in a special case received 1,125,000 bath each while 14 victims whose belongings were damaged received 610,522 baht each.

The financial assistance provided to the victims was believed to help boost the morale among the victims, their families and the general public affected by the upheavals.

Source: National News Bureau of Thailand - 28 March 2009