Army Chief Says Thailand Facing 3,000 Militants, Urges Public To Not Panic

[george]

Army chief says Thailand facing 3,000 militants

Bangkok, April 2, 2012 (AFP) - Thailand is fighting against more than 3,000 Muslim militants waging a shadowy insurgency in the deep south that has claimed thousands of lives, army chief General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said Monday.

Suspected militants set off a series of car bombs on Saturday that killed 14 people and wounded hundreds in the deadliest attacks to hit the region in recent years.

"There are about 300 of leader rank, 3,000 operators and about 10,000 supporters," the general said, adding that their numbers had fallen due to arrests.

Prayut called for people to remain calm following the weekend attacks in which a tourist hotel was targeted, raising concerns as Thailand prepares for the mid-April new year Songkran holiday.

"Do not panic because that is what this group wants," he said.

Prayut was speaking in Bangkok before accompanying Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on a visit to the largest southern city of Hat Yai, where a car bomb at a hotel triggered a fire that killed three people and injured more than 400.

The attack came about an hour after car bombs killed 11 people and wounded more than 100 in the town of Yala further south.

The hotel attack was an apparent escalation in the tactics of militants who have waged a deadly insurgency in the far south since 2004 that has claimed both Buddhist and Muslim lives.

Hat Yai, a popular destination for tourists from Malaysia and Singapore, has largely been spared the violence which plagues the three neighbouring far southern provinces on an almost daily basis but rarely on the scale of Saturday's attacks.

The insurgents are not thought to be part of a global jihad movement but are instead rebelling against a long history of perceived discrimination against ethnic-Malay Muslims by successive Thai governments.

Struggling to quell the unrest, authorities have imposed emergency rule in the region, which rights campaigners say effectively gives the army legal immunity.

The region was an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until it was annexed in 1902 by mainly Buddhist Thailand.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-04-02

[rubl]

Where is Dept. PM Pol Captain Chalern when you need help to calm down and get rid of your fears ?

[tragickingdom]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

[12DrinkMore]

Where is Dept. PM Pol Captain Chalern when you need help to calm down and get rid of your fears ?

Looking after his offspring.

Edited April 2, 2012 by 12DrinkMore

[phiphidon]

Is there an Army budget review due?

[englishinsiam]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[ianf]

There are a lot more than 3000 militants. We have to include the dupes in the red shirt movement willin to wage civil war when the time is ripe. Perhaps another 150,000.

[Unkomoncents]

Of course everyone's going to stay calm. The h#ll does this have to do with anyone who's not in Hat Yai? This is the military speaking the language of power, paranoia, and coups. For those who see Thailand as different from Burma, take note. The fear of panic is probably the most frequently used justification for the excessive (or just inexplicable) use of violence in the Kingdom. If the military wanted to just shoot red shirt protestors, why didn't they do it BEFORE the red shirts destroyed central Bangkok. The Thai military is like a wet firecracker: dangerous but completely nonsensical and unpredictable (how many Thai soldiers died in Blackhawk Helicopter crashes in the last two years; that's one of the single most reliable military vehicles in the US arsenal ; if they crashed, they didn't know how to fly the helicopter) . Most of the world thinks of Thailand as the friendly land of smiley faces. They never see the Thai concept of justice: "If he not shut his mouth, we shut it for him."

Edited April 2, 2012 by Unkomoncents

[FarangTalk]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Funnily enough, I feel for the good Malay people having to live under Thai oppression since 1909.

[chingching]

3,000 terrorists. Don't Panic. I would panic if I was visited by 3,000 kindergarteners

[blackthorn2005]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

The muslims are on a mission for world domination, sadly they are so far advanced that not even James Bond can save us!

[xenophon]

Don't panic! What a mob of incompetent clowns these so-called leaders are. See:

[Osprey]

Just make the south autonomous and let them govern themselves and then if they want to leave the kingdom so be it.They were independent up until 1901. The south is ungovernable as the people look south rather than to Bangkok. They are in fact Malay. Let Thailand take over the Karen area in Burma who are ethnically and linguistically similar.

[Jingthing]

Just make the south autonomous and let them govern themselves and then if they want to leave the kingdom so be it.They were independent up until 1901. The south is ungovernable as the people look south rather than to Bangkok. They are in fact Malay. Let Thailand take over the Karen area in Burma who are ethnically and linguistically similar.

No.

[JohnyBangkok]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

The Thai Government is in Pickle indeed, What is need is a small force of private military in the Southern region- They were approached last year by such a group and they were turned away. Look at the success of Executive Outcomes in Africa.

[beloriss]

Thailand need a fresh awake and that will come to Thailand. The whole system is down now. They want a country as europe with thai time and thai style... cannot. time to wake up.

change the corruption and the police system or will loose tourists and others. i wish thailand gov. is change the system and thai police mafia for good. otherwise people will travel to other countries:-)))

That is the two future way to this country.

I belive they can choose the better one.

[dude007]

Of course everyone's going to stay calm. The h#ll does this have to do with anyone who's not in Hat Yai? This is the military speaking the language of power, paranoia, and coups. For those who see Thailand as different from Burma, take note. The fear of panic is probably the most frequently used justification for the excessive (or just inexplicable) use of violence in the Kingdom. If the military wanted to just shoot red shirt protestors, why didn't they do it BEFORE the red shirts destroyed central Bangkok. The Thai military is like a wet firecracker: dangerous but completely nonsensical and unpredictable (how many Thai soldiers died in Blackhawk Helicopter crashes in the last two years; that's one of the single most reliable military vehicles in the US arsenal ; if they crashed, they didn't know how to fly the helicopter) . Most of the world thinks of Thailand as the friendly land of smiley faces. They never see the Thai concept of justice: "If he not shut his mouth, we shut it for him."

Although I don't like your language, you're fully right...

[chinook]

The Thai Government is in Pickle indeed, What is need is a small force of private military in the Southern region- They were approached last year by such a group and they were turned away. Look at the success of Executive Outcomes in Africa.

Wasp nest, stick, poking, more angry wasps, best stop poking. Edited April 2, 2012 by chinook

[Thai at Heart]

Thai military prowess for the last 70 years has extended to coups and shooting their own people when they get too antsy in bangkok or show too much commie tendency.

Of course everyone's going to stay calm. The h#ll does this have to do with anyone who's not in Hat Yai? This is the military speaking the language of power, paranoia, and coups. For those who see Thailand as different from Burma, take note. The fear of panic is probably the most frequently used justification for the excessive (or just inexplicable) use of violence in the Kingdom. If the military wanted to just shoot red shirt protestors, why didn't they do it BEFORE the red shirts destroyed central Bangkok. The Thai military is like a wet firecracker: dangerous but completely nonsensical and unpredictable (how many Thai soldiers died in Blackhawk Helicopter crashes in the last two years; that's one of the single most reliable military vehicles in the US arsenal ; if they crashed, they didn't know how to fly the helicopter) . Most of the world thinks of Thailand as the friendly land of smiley faces. They never see the Thai concept of justice: "If he not shut his mouth, we shut it for him."

Although I don't like your language, you're fully right...

[heiwa]

Muslims value life. A life for a life as it also says in our good book the Bible. They have been killed by the government and now the battle is turning to innocent tourists now that the 5,000 death milestone has been reached. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a teeth. Read Tak Bai massacre etc. There are still many more deaths to make the score even they will believe. If there is no reconciliation this I have no doubt will end in Phuket and Pattaya Bali style bombings which we can all do without. Comments about napalm will not help the situation. If the security improves they will turn to suicide bombings. Not music to the ears for tourists but I believe it describes the situation accurately. The first step should be to arrest Taksin for the Tak Bai massacre. I live in Songkhla and have been to the deep South many times. I have been in the middle of battles with insurgents and soldiers - caught in the middle. I have had machine guns pointed on me with the trigger squeezed. I have an interest in peace like the holiday makers in Phuket do.

Edited April 2, 2012 by heiwa

[bigbamboo]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

The Thai Government is in Pickle indeed, What is need is a small force of private military in the Southern region- They were approached last year by such a group and they were turned away. Look at the success of Executive Outcomes in Africa.

Thailand has a large army and more generals than any other in the world and you want to bring in mercenaries?

[dude007]

Thais are always making the same mistake. They barely think in two dimensions: "Thais" and "non-Thais"...

If Thais acknowledge that these people in the South are not Thai originating, why don't Thailand give them back their "cultural" independency as a first step to reconciliation (I am afraid to use this word as I feel that this word is wrongly understood in Thai), despite everthing that has been wrong in the past... KRUE SE, TAK BAI... The killing is asking for killing: sow wind and you will harvest storm... and that's now what's happening!

Their case is right: THEY DO NOT FEEL THAI (and they never felt THAI) so acknowledge this and give them a certain independency starting with total cultural independency... The same mistake is made with the hilltribes in Northern and North-West Thailand. They were here LONG before the Thais came but they have seen their land taken and their freedom dashed. Now they are considered as cattle: even not a citizenship from the country they have been living in for centuries... in fact THEIR country!

wrong wrong wrong... The Government is 100% wrong! Reboot your tablet computer and start thinking in a normal humanitarian way!

Edited April 2, 2012 by dude007

[dude007]

Muslims value life. A life for a life as it also says in our good book the Bible. They have been killed by the government and now the battle is turning to innocent tourists now that the 5,000 death milestone has been reached. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a teeth. Read Tak Bai massacre etc. There are still many more deaths to make the score even they will believe. If there is no reconciliation this I have no doubt will end in Phuket and Pattaya Bali style bombings which we can all do without. Comments about napalm will not help the situation. If the security improves they will turn to suicide bombings. Not music to the ears for tourists but I believe it describes the situation accurately. The first step should be to arrest Taksin for the Tak Bai massacre. I live in Songkhla and have been to the deep South many times. I have been in the middle of battles with insurgents and soldiers - caught in the middle. I have had machine guns pointed on me with the trigger squeezed. I have an interest in peace like the holiday makers in Phuket do.

You're so right with your comment! The best posting on this topic so far!

[heiwa]

You must be Thai. Everyone must be Thai. If you have ever taught in a Thai school you would know this. I think they should force the Israelis to use Arabic as their first language and change their religion from Jewish to buddhist. What is good for one is good for all. By the way the way Thailand is made up of about 60% ethnic Laos and 20% Cambodian by my guess. I have been to villages in Esan and people there have told me, "Let's speak Laos as my Thai is not very good." I speak Thai and Laos.

[dude007]

Don't panic! What a mob of incompetent clowns these so-called leaders are. See:

[heiwa]

Prayuth should be unceremoniously fired. He was far too busy telling the world that the terrorists could be found in Bangkok, demonstrating and singing, while refusing to call muslim insurgents "terrorists" 6500 people have been killed, 30,000 plus wounded and now Praytuth is waking up. It is as with the Thai newspapers, everything to burry the truth. Each and every bombing was either ignored or buried in the middle of the newspaper so nobody would notice.

The real trouble is that it worked. CNN was far more occupied reporting on a attack from a lone gunman in Africa that killed a handful than even mentioning Thailand. CNN works with the army TV that says it all. BBC showed happily pictures from a HatYai hotel and told the world that it was Yala.

The army should be purged of there in tire top and senior officers they have failed the people for almost 2 decades when i comes down to Southern terrorism.

The Thai Government is in Pickle indeed, What is need is a small force of private military in the Southern region- They were approached last year by such a group and they were turned away. Look at the success of Executive Outcomes in Africa.

Thailand has a large army and more generals than any other in the world and you want to bring in mercenaries?

It did not stop the Vietnamese kicking American ass. Victory goes to the bold and the daring - not to the man with the most guns or napalm gas. I've seen these soldiers fighting the insurgents - and I can tell you they didn't want to be there - would you??? The noble war hero from what I saw is myth consigned to movies. I saw plenty of fear. The faces were like blocks of ice with no emotion whatsoever which scared the hell out of me. I thought I was going to be fired on by the soldiers as I rode my motorbike machine gun pointed at my head. If foreigners posting here, who are so critical of the young Thai soldiers who would prefer to live, and think it is such a doddle to fight a few insurgents and you want to fight why not ask the army if you can replace one of their soldiers - plain cowardice to mention napalm and lacking in humanity. Napalm did not stop the Vietnamese. Edited April 2, 2012 by heiwa

[chinook]

Muslims value life. A life for a life as it also says in our good book the Bible. They have been killed by the government and now the battle is turning to innocent tourists now that the 5,000 death milestone has been reached. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a teeth. Read Tak Bai massacre etc. There are still many more deaths to make the score even they will believe. If there is no reconciliation this I have no doubt will end in Phuket and Pattaya Bali style bombings which we can all do without. Comments about napalm will not help the situation. If the security improves they will turn to suicide bombings. Not music to the ears for tourists but I believe it describes the situation accurately. The first step should be to arrest Taksin for the Tak Bai massacre. I live in Songkhla and have been to the deep South many times. I have been in the middle of battles with insurgents and soldiers - caught in the middle. I have had machine guns pointed on me with the trigger squeezed. I have an interest in peace like the holiday makers in Phuket do.

Agree.....I advise posters to Youtube Tak Bai Massacre.......the officer in charge of that mess needs to be brought to justice.

[HowardH]

Sadly wherever you get Muslims in great numbers you get war and oppression.

I feel for the good Thai people in the south.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Amen!!

[Thai at Heart]

you Are right, but you will be answered with "why wouldnt someone want to become thai?".

Of course the answer is that even in Thainess some are more thai than others too.

Thais are always making the same mistake. They barely think in two dimensions: "Thais" and "non-Thais"...

If Thais acknowledge that these people in the South are not Thai originating, why don't Thailand give them back their "cultural" independency as a first step to reconciliation (I am afraid to use this word as I feel that this word is wrongly understood in Thai), despite everthing that has been wrong in the past... KRUE SE, TAK BAI... The killing is asking for killing: sow wind and you will harvest storm... and that's now what's happening!

Their case is right: THEY DO NOT FEEL THAI (and they never felt THAI) so acknowledge this and give them a certain independency starting with total cultural independency... The same mistake is made with the hilltribes in Northern and North-West Thailand. They were here LONG before the Thais came but they have seen their land taken and their freedom dashed. Now they are considered as cattle: even not a citizenship from the country they have been living in for centuries... in fact THEIR country!

wrong wrong wrong... The Government is 100% wrong! Reboot your tablet computer and start thinking in a normal humanitarian way!

[hellodolly]

Muslims value life. A life for a life as it also says in our good book the Bible. They have been killed by the government and now the battle is turning to innocent tourists now that the 5,000 death milestone has been reached. It is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a teeth. Read Tak Bai massacre etc. There are still many more deaths to make the score even they will believe. If there is no reconciliation this I have no doubt will end in Phuket and Pattaya Bali style bombings which we can all do without. Comments about napalm will not help the situation. If the security improves they will turn to suicide bombings. Not music to the ears for tourists but I believe it describes the situation accurately. The first step should be to arrest Taksin for the Tak Bai massacre. I live in Songkhla and have been to the deep South many times. I have been in the middle of battles with insurgents and soldiers - caught in the middle. I have had machine guns pointed on me with the trigger squeezed. I have an interest in peace like the holiday makers in Phuket do.

The good book you quote from says nothing about take over the government and force laws on it that treat women like they were trade goods. It says nothing about kill the infidels.

You are truly delusional if you think the terrorism staged by Muslims will end when they have killed as many people as their enemy has killled.

Show me one country in the world with a 5% Muslim population that doe's not have a problem with them. Look at the middle east where they are predominantly Muslim.

In reference to women are you referring to Phuket and Pattaya 555? This is buddhism and the Thai boyfriend hiring out his girl - the pimp. Bush and Blair started the killing. I will take responsibility for our irresponsible governments. Please have a conscience.

Ya

Have a conscience.

Temperature in the high 30's and Muslim women dressed in black from heat to foot with only their eyes and hands showing while their husbands dress in white and many of them here in Chiang Mai dress in shorts. Honor killings because a women is raped they feel it is OK to kill her.

My sister went to a talk by a Catholic priest on Islam. He was raised in a Islamic country and it was all around him. Three Imam came to make sure he did not say any thing wrong. They said nothing it was OK with them.

After the talk the priest asked if there was any questions. One person stuck up their hand and said what about the way they treat their women. The Priest said I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question. The Imam kept their mouth shut. They didn't want to answer it either.

My conscience includes women equally. It doe's not allow me to plant bombs where innocent people can be killed and injured. It doe's not allow me to strap bombs on my self and blow up innocent people around me.

Yes have a conscience. Where is theirs. They say well those terrorists are extremists yet they do nothing about them just stand by and watch. In fact I am quite sure some of the money comes from these devout Muslims.

And if they would tell all they know the terrorism would end.

Edited April 2, 2012 by hellodolly