Bombs Wreak Havoc In South

[Lite Beer]

Bombs wreak havoc in South

The Nation on Sunday

YALA: Firefighters extinguish a blaze after three car bomb attacks in central Yala province that left nine people dead and 102 others wounded yesterday.

Nine killed, 102 injured in blasts targeting commercial area in Yala

Coordinated lunchtime bomb blasts in downtown Yala City killed nine people and wounded 102 others yesterday, police said. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra instructed the national police chief to travel to the South and work with the Royal Thai Army to investigate the attacks and take care of the injured.

Seven of those injured were in serious condition, Central Yala Hospital reported at 5pm.

Yala Governor Decharat Simsiri, who rushed to the hospital to check on the wounded, said the three blasts - two motorcycle bombs and a pickup truck bomb - occurred minutes apart near the Jongrak intersection on Ruam Mit Road.

The two motorcycle bombs went off at around 11.50am. Police arriving at the scene found many motorbikes, cars and nearby buildings on fire. Yala Municipality fire-fighters fought the blaze and took the injured to hospital.

As rescue officials were working at the scene, the third explosion occurred, caused by a bomb hidden in a pick-up parked in front of a 7-Eleven store 20 metres from the first blast. The car bomb damaged the store and five or six wooden shops plus several more vehicles.

Decharat said the attack zone was a commercial area with many shops and lunchtime eateries frequented Thai Muslim, Buddhist and Chinese people.

Civil servants were celebrating ahead of Civil Service Day today, and a military truck was parked near the scene of the first bomb, he said.

Another Yala police source said the first blast at the Jongrak intersection resulted from a bomb hidden amid two gas tanks loaded in a Isuzu pick-up. The second blast was a bomb hidden in a Toyota Tiger pick-up, while the third came an exploding petrol tank in a car parked nearby. The two bombs were reportedly detonated by remote control and the two trucks were stolen, the source said.

Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said a check of security-camera footage found a suspected insurgent parked the pick-up before fleeing on a motorcycle. The three blasts took place within minutes of each other, he said, adding that officials had already gathered information and leads in the case and would beef up security.

In related news, a motorcycle bomb went off in front of a restaurant opposite Pattani's Mae Lan police station at 2pm, slightly injuring a police officer. This prompted Pattani Governor to put all 12 districts in the province on alert.

Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Front spokesman Colonel Pramote Phrom-in said the Yala bombings were carried out by insurgents in order to terrorise the public. He said this was because the public was turning away from the insurgents and cooperating more and more with officials, who continued to hunt insurgents and crack down on the drug-trafficking activities they used to fund their movement. He said the bombs were intended to remind people of the insurgents' existence and to discredit officials' efforts to protect people.

Earlier, Pramote told a 9am press conference that the overall situation in terms of security and the human-rights environment had improved in the three southernmost provinces, leading the public to grow more confident and trusting towards the state.

As part of six strategies implemented, Thai officials had prevented the insurgents from getting funds through drug and illegal gasoline trades, leading to the seizure of 300,000 litres of illegal fuel from October 2011-March 2012. Authorities had arrested 211 drug suspects in 150 cases, in which 250,000 yaba tablets were seized, along with 2.5kg of krathom leaves, 33,000 cough-syrup bottles and Bt300 million worth of assets, he said.

No complaints of human-rights violations had been filed against officials recently, Pramote said, adding that there had been 8,329 national security cases since 2004. He said wrongdoers were identified in 1,959 of these cases, and officials had been able to make arrests in 1,397 cases. Of the 270 cases to go to court so far, 54 per cent resulted in convictions and 46 per cent in acquittals. He said that, following the July 2, 2007, arrest of eight bomb suspects from an area near Isalam Burapa School in Narathiwat town and the seizure of weapons, ammunition, communications equipment and explosive components, seven suspects were prosecuted as adults while one was tried as a juvenile. The Narathiwat Court on March 16 sentenced five men to death and jailed one for 27 years, while one defendant jumped bail.

-- The Nation 2012-04-01

[Gone]

So it seems they are p!ssed off that the government is cracking down on their drug and ilegal items trade. Funny thing is they will get away with it because no one knows how to deal with these idiots.

[bigbamboo]

Only one man can handle this situation. Send for Thailand's very own Clint Eastwood.... Dirty Chalerm.

[beautifulthailand99]

My wife is from Yala and has family still there and her brother has a barber's shop on the street that was bombed. Was there just a year ago Yala is a beautiful city - one of the most beautiful I have visited in Thailand and the news is very sad. Phones don't work when ringing from the UK - but have heard from her sister in Bangkok that they are ok, But that the daughter of her brother's friend has been killed. Desperartely sad and I feel Thailand just doesn't want to know about their beleagured citizens down South and they have effectively been abandoned. IMHO problem started when Thaksin killed so many at Tak Bai.

[heiwa]

Mr. Taksin - trouble maker. It is a cliche to blame Muslims.

The insurgency is probably not caused by the lack of political representation among the Muslim population. By the late 1990s, Muslims were holding unprecedentedly senior posts in Thai politics, for example with Wan Muhammad Nor Matha (a Malay Muslim from Yala) serving as Chairman of Parliament from 1996 to 2001 and later Interior Minister during the first Thaksin government. Thaksin's first government (2001–2005) also saw 14 Muslim MPs and several Muslim senators. Muslims dominated provincial legislative assemblies in the border provinces, and several southern municipalities had Muslim mayors. Muslims were able to voice their political grievances more openly and enjoy a much greater degree of religious freedom. However, the Thaksin regime began to dismantle the southern administration organization and replaced it with a notoriously corrupt police force which immediately began widespread crackdowns; consultation with local community leaders were also abolished. Discontent over the abuses led to growing violence during 2004 and 2005. Muslim politicians and leaders remained silent out of fear of repression, thus eroding their political legitimacy and support. This cost them dearly. In the 2005 general election, all but one of the eleven incumbent Muslim MPs who stood for election were voted out of office

[heiwa]

Only a man as evil as Mr. Taksin could ruin a town as beautiful as Tak Bai. When will more charges be laid against this man.

In October 2004 the town of Tak Bai in Narathiwat province saw the most publicized incident of the insurgency. Six local men were arrested for having supplied weapons to insurgents. A demonstration was organized to demand their release and the police called in army reinforcements. The army used tear gas and water cannons on the crowd, and shooting started in which seven men were killed.

Hundreds of local people, mostly young men, were arrested. They were made to take off their shirts and lie on the ground. Their hands were tied behind their backs. Later that afternoon, they were thrown by soldiers into trucks to be taken to the Ingkayutthaboriharn army camp in the nearby province of Pattani. The prisoners were stacked five or six deep in the trucks, and by the time the trucks reached their destination five hours later, in the heat of the day, 78 men had suffocated to death.

This incident sparked widespread protests across the south, and indeed across Thailand, since many non-Muslim Thais were appalled at the army's behaviour. Thaksin, however, gave the army his full support. Those responsible for the ill-treatment and death of the detainees received the most minor of non-custodial punishments. Thaksin's initial response was to defend the army's actions, saying that the 78 men died "because they were already weak from fasting during the month of Ramadan."

Charges were filed against 58 suspects accused of participating in the demonstration. The trials went on at a slow place, and As of October 2006, the court had finished questioning of only two out of the 1,500 witnesses in the case. Police were also unable to find 32 Tak Bai protesters who were still at large after fleeing arrest.^[40]

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont gave a formal apology for the incident on 2 November 2006.^[41] The day afterwards, the number of violent acts increased fivefold, compared to the average in the preceding month.^[42]

[heiwa]

Could there be a cause and effect? No of course not. Everything happens for no reason. We live in a chaotic random world.

The Asian Human Rights Commission accused the military of beating and torturing suspected insurgents by burning their genitals with cigarettes, smashing beer bottles over their knees, and chaining them to dogs. Such abuses were alleged to have occurred in October 2006, after the military seized power.^[196]

In December 2006, a group of 20 Muslims, 9 men and 11 women aged between 2 and 55, sought political asylum in Malaysia. They claimed that the post-coup regime was more aggressive against civilians and that they were continuously harassed by the Army. The Army admitted that the group sought refuge in Malaysia out of fear for their lives - but that the threat was from forces.^[197]

A group of Muslims from Narathiwat that fled to Malaysia in March 2007 claimed that they were escaping intimidation and brutality by the military. The group complained that they have been beaten and that their sons have been missing or detained since 2005. It also claimed that some youths had died after they were poisoned during detention.^[198]

In late January, 2012, an unknown number of insurgents ambushed a thahan pran base before retreating. The rangers chased the insurgents and were fired upon from a pick up truck. The rangers fired back in self defence resulting for dead civilians in the truck with others wounded. The rangers found AK-47 assault rifles but also claimed that the four dead civilians were not affiliated with insurgents in anyway. Soldiers from the 4th army regiment are investigating.This killing has angered many Thai Muslims as the four dead persons are mosque leaders (an imam, a moulana,a khatib, and a bilai).^[199]

In early February, the ministry of interior porposed a 7.5 million baht to all victims of the insurgency including those from the Tak Bai Massacre and the Kru Se Mosque Incident. ^[200]

[animatic]

With Thaksin appearing to be coming back to at least behind the scenes power, the muslims down south can not have failed to notice. Regardless of several comments above, the man is hated beyond rationality in most deep south districts, and with cause.

[Colin Yai]

Could there be a cause and effect? No of course not. Everything happens for no reason. We live in a chaotic random world.

The Asian Human Rights Commission accused the military of beating and torturing suspected insurgents by burning their genitals with cigarettes, smashing beer bottles over their knees, and chaining them to dogs. Such abuses were alleged to have occurred in October 2006, after the military seized power.^[196]

In December 2006, a group of 20 Muslims, 9 men and 11 women aged between 2 and 55, sought political asylum in Malaysia. They claimed that the post-coup regime was more aggressive against civilians and that they were continuously harassed by the Army. The Army admitted that the group sought refuge in Malaysia out of fear for their lives - but that the threat was from forces.^[197]

A group of Muslims from Narathiwat that fled to Malaysia in March 2007 claimed that they were escaping intimidation and brutality by the military. The group complained that they have been beaten and that their sons have been missing or detained since 2005. It also claimed that some youths had died after they were poisoned during detention.^[198]

In late January, 2012, an unknown number of insurgents ambushed a thahan pran base before retreating. The rangers chased the insurgents and were fired upon from a pick up truck. The rangers fired back in self defence resulting for dead civilians in the truck with others wounded. The rangers found AK-47 assault rifles but also claimed that the four dead civilians were not affiliated with insurgents in anyway. Soldiers from the 4th army regiment are investigating.This killing has angered many Thai Muslims as the four dead persons are mosque leaders (an imam, a moulana,a khatib, and a bilai).^[199]

In early February, the ministry of interior porposed a 7.5 million baht to all victims of the insurgency including those from the Tak Bai Massacre and the Kru Se Mosque Incident. ^[200]

It will be quite interesting to read when the "victims" family's actually get paid out!!, (if ever)

[FarangTalk]

People gleefully blaming Thaksin (yawn) but ignoring the real culprits; The Thai Army and their backers in the establishment.

[Colin Yai]

People gleefully blaming Thaksin (yawn) but ignoring the real culprits; The Thai Army and their backers in the establishment.

Who Covered up for the Army,s treatment of detainees in the "Tak Bai" incident?? ,Thaksins pitiful excuse for the deaths was believed by no one , Especially by the loved one of the "victims".

[barrybankruad]

People gleefully blaming Thaksin (yawn) but ignoring the real culprits; The Thai Army and their backers in the establishment.

Quite right. The Army are a law unto themselves, would make absolutely no difference whether Thaksin or anybody else was in charge, the Army do as they please.

[Colin Yai]

People gleefully blaming Thaksin (yawn) but ignoring the real culprits; The Thai Army and their backers in the establishment.

Quite right. The Army are a law unto themselves, would make absolutely no difference whether Thaksin or anybody else was in charge, the Army do as they please.

"The Army do as they please", So who's music do you reckon Yingluck is Dancing to, the Military's or "Big Brother,s"??

[Colin Yai]

So by that yard stick Barry if PM Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, then PM Abhisit was not responsible for the Red shirts demise in BKK as the "Army do as they please"

[Colin Yai]

People gleefully blaming Thaksin (yawn) but ignoring the real culprits; The Thai Army and their backers in the establishment.

Nice to read that you have completely exonerated former PM Abhisit from any responsibility for the Army's actions against the " Red shirts" which led to so many deaths , Or is the old "double standards" coming to the fore again?

[barrybankruad]

So by that yard stick Barry if PM Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, then PM Abhisit was not responsible for the Red shirts demise in BKK as the "Army do as they please"

Quite. Abhisit cowering in the Army barracks just let them get on with it. Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, however his excuse was ludicrous. Any Government of whatever persuasion has to tread on eggshells when dealing with the Generals, iy's always been that way and no doubt will remain so.

[Colin Yai]

Well Barry if the "Army do as they please" as you say, Abhisit had no option but to let them get on with it ,as it would appear according to you he had no choice or say in the matter had he??, the old double standards again I'm afraid ,whilst Thaksin was PM he was powerless, but when Abhi was PM he was "commander in chief" and therefore responsible for everything the Military did , maybe Abhi was just "treading on eggshells" eh

[geriatrickid]

So by that yard stick Barry if PM Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, then PM Abhisit was not responsible for the Red shirts demise in BKK as the "Army do as they please"

Quite. Abhisit cowering in the Army barracks just let them get on with it. Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, however his excuse was ludicrous. Any Government of whatever persuasion has to tread on eggshells when dealing with the Generals, iy's always been that way and no doubt will remain so.

Fair enough accept that you forget that Abhisit was part of the Army team. He was the anointed one, hand picked to carry on the junta's policies. Mr. Thaksin was not on Team Army.

[Colin Yai]

So by that yard stick Barry if PM Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, then PM Abhisit was not responsible for the Red shirts demise in BKK as the "Army do as they please"

Quite. Abhisit cowering in the Army barracks just let them get on with it. Thaksin was not responsible for the Tak Bai incident, however his excuse was ludicrous. Any Government of whatever persuasion has to tread on eggshells when dealing with the Generals, iy's always been that way and no doubt will remain so.

Fair enough accept that you forget that Abhisit was part of the Army team. He was the anointed one, hand picked to carry on the junta's policies. Mr. Thaksin was not on Team Army.

Yeah GK Junta is a pretty accurate description ,just curious ,were do you think Yingluck fits in?

[macgver]

Bomb blasts: Malaysia PM extends condolence to Thai PM Yingluck

HAADYAI: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has extended his condolences and sympathies to the government and people of Thailand over the bombing incidents here and Yala on Saturday.

The Prime Minister also thanked the Thai government for its quick action in assisting Malaysians affected by the blasts.

Najib's Special Functions Officer Datuk Latt Shahriman Abdullah conveyed the prime minister's condolence to Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra when he met here Monday.

Latt Shariman said Najib was disappointed that the bombings happened and tourists were targetted.

"Yingluck told me the cost of medical treatment for Malaysians injured in the incidents would be borne by the Thai government. Besides this, the Thai government would make arrangements to send them back to their homes in Malaysia," he said. - Bernama

[Colin Yai]

I wonder if Yingluck has "Socialist tendencies" throwing money around and making promises as if money itself is inexhaustible ,I think it was Churchill who coined the Phrase , "Socialism is good until you run out of other peoples money" ,or words to that effect

[redroo]

Pushing and forcing

a political or religious

belief upon anyone in this world

will always be met with resistance

Bombing people into submision will never work.

Infact they are ,

bombing them selves and others

out of acceptance

[Mosha]

So it seems they are p!ssed off that the government is cracking down on their drug and ilegal items trade. Funny thing is they will get away with it because no one knows how to deal with these idiots.

As I posted on another thread. This was the appointed month for solving the troubles in the South. This is the response from the other side to her.