Thailand's Deep South Warned Of New Year Bomb Attacks

[webfact]

SOUTH CRISIS

South warned of new year bomb attacks

By The Nation

An explosion in Narathiwat's Ba Cho district in the deep South left four civilians wounded, while intelligence reports have warned against insurgent car-bomb attacks in the region over the New Year period.

Yesterday's home-made bomb, 15kg of explosives in a fire extinguisher, was placed in a Mazda pickup with a fake Songkhla licence plate and parked on Phetkasem Road, not far from the Ba Cho police station.

Security camera footage shows the driver as a well-dressed middle-aged man in white shirt and black pants.

The blast, detonated by mobile-phone signals at around 8.40am, targeted the mobile patrol of a Navy taskforce but narrowly missed its target. The explosion wounded four bystanders, three of whom were road construction workers.

Earlier, in Yala's Raman district, at around 7.25am, a roadside bomb detonated by mobile-phone signals hit a squad of soldiers on foot patrol. There were no serious injuries but all the troops suffered temporary deafness. The squad returned fire into nearby bushes in a brief gunfight, before a reinforcement arrived and cleared the scene. No attackers were found.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dismissed both attacks as acts of defiance by insurgents in response to the recent lifting of the state of emergency in the deep South, and said the attacks would not prompt the government to revive it.

Narathiwat governor Thanon Wetchakornkan said strict security measures were in place to guard against more possible bombs or gunfights and called on residents not to be discouraged by the attacks.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said an amnesty scheme under Article 21 of a security law was being proposed to pardon ex-insurgents or sympathisers who denounced violence and volunteered useful information leading to arrests of active insurgents, before undergoing a six-month rehabilitation course.

Conditions were being drafted as qualifications for those who might benefit from the scheme, he added.

-- The Nation 2010-12-30

[jayjay0]

Interesting response to this article. Seems no one notices what goes on in the deep south. The insurgents down there make the red shirts look tame.

Just wondering if we will become as laid back about the red shirts as we have become about the south.

[garyk]

I was down there for 10 days shooting birds in Hala Bala N.P. I was treated like royalty in the park. I think I was the first farang that has visited in a while. The muslem family in the park was very friendly and we ate togeather several times. but when i left the park to go to the village. I was asked many times if i was afraid and some very shady people were eyeing. Me... I will not go back soon I tell you that. Such a beautiful park there too.

It is totally different than the red shirts. I have been thru there many times in BKK and really never felt threatened. The south is a totally different ball game.

Kinda curious when the last time any of you guys went thru the area? The military are everywhere. In the hot areas, a soldier on every streat corner on the main street. Helicopter Gun ships crusing the highways and troop carriers with 50 cal. maned on top... Man, what a mess. I was down there 3 months ago now.

Edited December 30, 2010 by garyk

[HAL9000]

The Koran commands Muslims to kill unbelievers wherever they find them. Reform movements never gain traction because the Koran forbids ignoring doctrines. Moderates haven't read the Koran, and become more radicalized when a life crisis causes them to turn to the Koran to feel closer to God.

More info at InquiryIntoIslam com

[TheGhostWithin]

I was in Yala and Pattani provinces in November, and although foriengers have not been targetted it was quite clear that there are two sides.

Driving through Muslim neighborhoods, people were coming out of their houses looking at you as you passed (I was with Thais and the only Farang).

A few KM from where we went to the Temple, a family of 5 thais were shot in their vehicle that day.

Upon entering, I was warned by the family not to answer cell phone calls whilst in transit, not to send sms messages and not to call back any missed calls - these can set roadside bombs off. Army check points pretty much run between every village, and more heavily so in the divisions between Muslim Villages (which are msotly filthy dirty, with rubbish along the roads and their Malaysian style houses with Malaysian writing rather than Thaiscript) and the Buddhist Villages.

We went to a festival, and the entrance to the temple was lined with soldiers holding loaded M16s and checking all incoming vehicles, which is not somthing anyone would be used to.

Going into the Buddhist areas, people were literally amazed to see a Farang, and were the kindest and friendliest people I have met in Thailand bar none. Even the monks at the temple seemed to be curious as to the presence of a Farang - I would not have gone there without very good reason, which I had. I have the luxury of speaking some Thai, so could converse a little. Great food, but understood where I was and stuck close to my friends.

Of note, went into a 7/11 so dirty we had to walk over top of large piles of newspapers and packing holders to enter on the way to Hat Yai, not far from Songkhla, and upon entry myself and a Buddhist friend were stared down by a large group of Muslims and made clear we were not welcome. I was told "we have to leave here, we cannot shop here" by the friend, and we had to find a less intimidating place to shop.

The red shirts, are nothing to the intimidation of having to surround government schools and Wats with military checkpoints, Police stations with large checkpoints and clearly being made to feel extremely unwelcome by the Pasa Bahasa Pattani speakers to a large degree.

It is so sad, because I am sure that there are some who are willing to Co-exist, but also a group who wish to have schools teaching only under the muslim ideologies, with a Malay styled kampung/village hierarchy and wish to punish those who do not follow their lead.

By the way, I do not see myself as bias, I also speak a moderate level of Bahasa Pattani, and do have Muslim friends - I am an athiest.