Probe into prison riot in Narathiwat that left 25 injured

By Narong Nuansakul,

Supitcha Ratana

The Nation on Sunday

Narathiwat governor Thanon Vejkornkanont has set up a committee to investigate a prison riot yesterday that left 20 police and five defence volunteers injured.

He wants to try to find out which prisoners incited others to attack the officials

The chaos began at about 7am when Deputy Narathiwat Governor Dejrat Simsiri led a 150-strong team of police, military and civilians to search the male prisoners' dormitory as part of a drug-suppression operation, while the 999 male inmates were gathered in the yard. The officials were seizing methamphetamine, crystal meth and cell phones hidden in the dormitory when several inmates jailed for violations of national security, got upset and suddenly urged others to stop the search. The inmates hurled metal pipes, wooden sticks and stones at the officials.

The officials escaped but 25 were injured - 11 with serious head wounds. But no inmates were hurt.

After hours of negotiations, the provincial governor, who went to try to control the situation, got the inmates to stop their protest.

Thanon later said he ordered prison officials to monitor the situation with a combined force to guard the prison to prevent another riot.

He also set up a committee to investigate which inmates started the riot and which inmates attacked the officials. He said it was tough to control rioting in the jail partly because it was located in the city centre.

Thanon urged a thorough check on how prohibited items were smuggled into the prison and punishment of any official involved in the smuggling.

Prison commander Suphot Suwantip also blamed the location of the jail for problems controlling prisoners and said relocating the jail would be a good long-term solution. He said the prison wall wasn't very high so people with bad intentions may be able to throw prohibited objects into the jail.

Corrections Department deputy director-general Thanit Sriyapan said plans to move the prison to a 342-rai plot in Tak Bai district's Ban Khok Kradook Moo were ongoing, with the construction budget set at Bt500 million. He said details would be put to the Justice Ministry shortly.

The prison holds 1,100 inmates - 140 of them for people who broke national security laws in the far South.

-- The Nation 2011-06-19

Not to hard to control crack a few prisoner heads.

Disrespecting Quran causes Narathiwat prison riot: activist

By The Nation

The chief coordinator of the Network of Youth Organisations in the Southernmost Provinces, Artef Sohko, urged the authorities to investigate the allegations that certain officials had disrespected the Quran, Islamic holy book, by tossing it on the floor, thus, ignited the Saturday riot that left 20 police and five defense volunteers injured.

Speaking to The Nation, Artef, the former head of the Student Federation of Thailand, said he has been informed by an inmate inside the Narathiwat prison that some of the guards conducting the search in the dorm had committed the act that was deemed offensive to Muslim inmates.

Muslim treat the Quran with deep respect and deemed the book to be sacred as it contain God's revelation. Many washed their hands before holding the book.

Narathiwat governor Thanon Vejkornkanont on Saturday has set up a committee to investigate the riot. But there were no mention of the disrespecting of the Koran.

The chaos began at about 7am when Deputy Narathiwat Governor Dejrat Simsiri led a 150-strong team of police, military and civilians to search the male prisoners' dormitory as part of a drug-suppression operation, while the 999 male inmates were gathered in the yard.

According to the official version, the officials were seizing methamphetamine, crystal meth and cell phones hidden in the dormitory when several inmates jailed for violations of national security, got upset and suddenly urged others to stop the search. The inmates hurled metal pipes, wooden sticks and stones at the officials.

-- The Nation 2011-06-19

I am not sure what to believe here... I mean, if contraband is really so easy to get, why would the prisoners riot? They could just replace the stuff.

The fact that it is in the Deep South, and that some of the prisoners are in fact political prisoners does make one wonder about the truth behind the official version.

Disrespecting Quran causes Narathiwat prison riot: activist

By The Nation

The chief coordinator of the Network of Youth Organisations in the Southernmost Provinces, Artef Sohko, urged the authorities to investigate the allegations that certain officials had disrespected the Quran, Islamic holy book, by tossing it on the floor, thus, ignited the Saturday riot that left 20 police and five defense volunteers injured.

Speaking to The Nation, Artef, the former head of the Student Federation of Thailand, said he has been informed by an inmate inside the Narathiwat prison that some of the guards conducting the search in the dorm had committed the act that was deemed offensive to Muslim inmates.

Muslim treat the Quran with deep respect and deemed the book to be sacred as it contain God's revelation. Many washed their hands before holding the book.

Narathiwat governor Thanon Vejkornkanont on Saturday has set up a committee to investigate the riot. But there were no mention of the disrespecting of the Koran.

The chaos began at about 7am when Deputy Narathiwat Governor Dejrat Simsiri led a 150-strong team of police, military and civilians to search the male prisoners' dormitory as part of a drug-suppression operation, while the 999 male inmates were gathered in the yard.

According to the official version, the officials were seizing methamphetamine, crystal meth and cell phones hidden in the dormitory when several inmates jailed for violations of national security, got upset and suddenly urged others to stop the search. The inmates hurled metal pipes, wooden sticks and stones at the officials.

-- The Nation 2011-06-19

If all the prisoners were in the exercise yard, how did they know that the Quran had been thrown on the floor? There is more to this story that has not been reported, so, I doubt we will never know what really happened. I also suspect that the alleged disrespecting of the Quran will be used as an excuse for more violence by the separatists (why are they not called terrorists?).

Edited June 20, 201115 yr by rreddin