District Police Chief Killed In Ambush

[cdnvic]

District police chief killed in ambush

By The Nation

Published on March 13, 2010

Yala- A senior policeman, known for his honesty and expertise in anti-insurgency warfare, died from wounds sustained in a bomb attack and ensuing gunfire yesterday that also wounded three other officers.

Pol Colonel Somphian Eksomya, 59, who would have retired in October, was well liked by his colleagues and residents in the deep South, where he served most of his 20-year career in the police force. He had originally started off as a police constable.

Somphian, who was police chief for Yala province's Bannang Sata district, was heading off on a mission to meet locals at an insurgent-infested area when his pickup was ambushed on a remote road at 1.30pm yesterday.

He and the other three occupants of the truck were first hit by a roadside bomb, which was followed by gunfire.

The police chief was pronounced dead at 3.40pm at a local hospital, while the other three were in intensive care.

The Songkhla native, who had survived a previous bomb attack and several gunfights, said recently that his request to be transferred out of the strife-torn southern provinces had been rejected.

The tough officer was affectionately dubbed the "Iron-legged Sergeant Phian" for his stamina on foot patrol, and also the "fighter on the Budo mountain range" for his courage and efficiency in leading previous anti-insurgency missions.

-- The Nation March 13, 2010

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[Scott]

Very sad that his request for a transfer was ignored. I think 20 years in that area is service enough.

My condolences to the colleagues, friends and family. I am sure he will be missed.

[neverdie]

Indeed very sad, I hope they catch these mongrels and deal with them appropriately. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

[lazygourmet]

Very sad indeed.

Following my Thai friends, he was highly respected and an esteemed person.

Deepest condolences to all his relatives.

[Garry9999]

Among the daring complainants was Pol Col Sompien Eksomya, superintendent of Bannangstar district police in Yala province.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Rural-Police...ek-t346840.html

[cdnvic]

A terrible way to end 20 years of service.

[KhaoNiaw]

A terrible way to end 20 years of service.

40 years.

[landofthefree]

A terrible way to end 20 years of service.

40 years.

Who turned down his transfer request? I bet they feel bad now.Very sad story RIP.

[Garry9999]

A terrible way to end 20 years of service.

40 years.

Who turned down his transfer request? I bet they feel bad now.Very sad story RIP.

Bet they don't!

[animatic]

My condolences to the family of a very brave man.

20 years assigned to Yala there is something I can hardly imagine.

[Carib]

Yes, sad.

[lannarebirth]

A terrible way to end 20 years of service.

40 years.

Who turned down his transfer request? I bet they feel bad now.Very sad story RIP.

Bet they don't!

I agree. Bet they're glad his complaint dies with him.

[Bedrockguesthouse]

I watched a great news program about him this morning very very touching and its a loss for his family and Thailand

Extremely sad

[geriatrickid]

The unfortunate aspect of serving in the military or the police is that one does not usually get to select one's posting. You are sent where you are needed or will serve best. Sometimes the system is used to dispose of perceived trouble makers, the old Russian front syndrome. It's been done ever since there has been a chain of command.

Unfortunately, people die in the South and if it had not been this police officer it would have been someone else. Not much comfort, but there may be some good to come of this, if only to jolt some people into remembering the festering problems in the region and that the violence continues unabated with teachers, health workers, civil servants and civilians murdered weekly.

[Maestro]

Royal wreath for Sompien's funeral

By SAMATCHA HOONSARA

THE NATION

Their Majesties the King and Queen graciously granted a wreath to yesterday's funeral of Bannang Sata district police chief Colonel Sompien Eksomya, who died from his injuries after being ambushed by insurgents in Yala on Friday.

The royally sponsored wreath was presented by Songkhla Governor Winyu Thongsakul.

Sompien's funeral was held at Wat Khlong Play in Songkhla's Hat Yai district.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who attended Sompien's funeral in the evening, affirmed that police had not ignored Sompien's request to be transferred elsewhere.

Former deputy police chief Wasit Detkunchon said those responsible for leaving Sompien in the restive region too long must be punished.

Sompien, who had worked in the deep South for 20 years and had been recognised for his good relations with the community, made headlines when he went to Government House to file a complaint that he wanted to be moved out of the region so that he could spend the rest of his police service peacefully.

Offering condolences to Sompien's family, Abhisit said the Police Policy Board had met on March 5 to approve in principle compensation for Sompien, which meant that authorities did not close their eyes to complaints over unfairness.

Wasit said Sompien's death on duty shed light on the national police's personnel-management flaws and injustice for officers stationed in high-risk areas for a long time when other officers should replace them.

"Why was he left there for so long? When he asked for a transfer, shouldn't the request have been considered specially? This is terrible, it shouldn't happen and this injustice deserves to be punished," he said. Wasit, who chairs a committee investigating police transfer complaints, said the eight-rank promotion granted posthumously to Sompien was not a small reward.

"But what would the family feel about such an exchange of their husband/father's life for the promotion? If it were I, I wouldn't trade it. What could've been done was to help him before he died.

"Being in the 'war zone' too long, soldiers or police would inevitably become a target.

National police personnel management made a mistake, and someone must pay for it. I want the government, premier and his deputy for police affairs to look into human-resources management," Wasit said.

On February 23, Sompien and his wife also went to consult with journalists at police headquarters about how to file a complaint against injustice in police transfers.

He claimed that the southern insurgents had put a price of 50 goats, equivalent to Bt200,000, on his head.

That day, Sompien, accompanied by journalists, went to the office of acting national police chief General Pratheep Tanprasert on the eighth floor but was told that it was the Police Policy Board's responsibility, so they went to the board's office on the 18th floor.

They were told that the board director was in a meeting, so a lieutenant-colonel took up the complaint instead.

From that day until his death, the national police did not do anything besides telling the press that they would speed up assistance to him, said Wasit.

And on the day he died, police came out and said they were planning to promote him as deputy provincial chief in Trang.

-- The Nation 2010-03-13

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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...l-30124619.html

[angiud]

Honour for who fall in the line of duty.

[Maestro]

An uncorroborated allegation and the 22 replies to it have been deleted.

--

Maestro

[beammeup]

Its a sad story. Its sick how some try to politicise it

RIP brave dude

[splodger]

this is so sad,it's time to go in hard and finish this slaughter of good people,stuff world opinion.

[JackSterling]

Rest in peace...finally

[ding]

RIP

If his opponents had waited a handful of months he would have been out anyway. So the next guy will be more sympathetic to their cause now? No way.

[mrtoad]

Well done to the Mods for removing the political allegations that were made.

Condolences to the friends and family, of what was an undoubtedly brave man who served the people and the country with distinction.

[theoldgit]

I'm not a fan of the police in general but this guy seemed to have been the exception to the rule, or at least my perception of the rule.

This outstanding officer has dedicated his career to trying to bring peace and fair play to a very difficult region, and is brutally murdered by these mindless thugs as he neared his, well earned, retirement.

RIP my friend and my sincere condolences to your friends and family.

Maybe, just maybe, this brutal and pointless murder may be the catalyst that turns the tide on these cowardly acts.

[monoli87]

RIP.... although you're dead.... but your deed, your courage... your name... will be remembered as a true heroes... it's sad day to heard... as a hero among Thai peoples died honourably..... my condolences to all of your remaining family....

I honour for your brave :D :D

[dick turpin]

Seemed like a genuine guy

There must be a lot of out of favour cops out there right now,

hoping the phone is not going to ring telling them they have got

the job replacing him.