Yingluck Promises To Help Remedy South Problems As She Offers Condolences

[Lite Beer]

Yingluck promises to help remedy South problems as she offers condolences

KESINEE TANGKHIEO,

THORANIT PIRUNLAONG

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK:-- Yongyuth insists there will be no chance of negotiating with insurgents as PM orders tighter security measures

Expressing sympathy for victims of the recent car bombing in the provinces of Yala and Songkhla, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday also promised to remedy the situation and step up security in a bid to restore peace and public confidence.

Meanwhile, Deputy PM and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit admitted that Pol Colonel Thavee Sodsong, secretary-general of Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, had indeed spoken with representatives of the separatist movements. However, he insisted that the authorities would not negotiate with the separatists.

On her weekly television show, "Yingluck Government Meets the People", the premier offered her condolences to those who had lost their loved ones and were affected by the car bombs in Yala and Songkhla's Hat Yai district. She said the government would take care of the 400 or so people wounded by the attacks and compensate them at the same rate as others who are affected by the insurgency in the deep South.

In addition, she said, the authorities would boost security in public areas, deploy more police and military personnel and install more security cameras and link them up with police stations. Yingluck went on to say that she had also instructed provincial governors to urge businesses and other local agencies to link up their CCTV systems. She has also instructed the Transport Ministry to beef up security at public bus stops and airports, and said relevant officials were talking to business owners about the impact of the bombings. She added that the authorities would go ahead with boosting security, though it would not be so tight that it makes tourists feel uneasy.

The bombing at Hat Yai's Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel on April 1 killed three people and wounded 371 others, while two car bombs in Yala's Muang district on March 31 killed 11 and wounded about 200.

Meanwhile, national police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong said the police would set up 46 checkpoints in Songkhla to prevent further incidents, and also create seven "safety zones" populated by Buddhists, where outsiders would be prohibited from parking their cars. If the safety zone measure works, it would also be implemented in the three southernmost provinces. Priewpan plans to visit the South next week to follow up on security measures.

CONFLICTING CLAIMS

Following suspicion that the car bombs might be a message that some hardcore Islamic militants were against the talks that Thavee allegedly had with representatives of separatist movements during his visit to Malaysia last month, Yongyuth said yesterday that there had been no negotiations.

Thavee, however, said that he was in Malaysia last month only to discuss work-permit issues for Thai workers, not to meet any separatist leaders.

As for a Democrat MP claiming on Thursday that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra had held talks with a separatist group in Malaysia and that the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) website showed a picture of Thaksin and a Pulo leader hugging, Yongyuth said pictures could be doctored. According to the MP, Thaksin's talks with the insurgents had failed, resulting in the car bombs.

General Yuthasak Sasiprapha, deputy PM in charge of national security, said yesterday that he was not aware of Thavee or Thaksin allegedly speaking to separatists and that there was no photo evidence as claimed by the Opposition. He confirmed that the government would never negotiate with insurgentsand consider separatist movements as organisations. He said that there were about six groups actively creating problems in the South, though Thailand would be unable to identify them if they continued getting support from a neighbouring country. As for intelligence reports that an attack might be carried out during the Songkran holidays, Yutthasak said the authorities would provide tight security, adding that the southern insurgency should not spill over to the capital.

In separate news, the Army held a training session yesterday for 160 volunteers at Sena Narong Army Camp in Songkhla's Hat Yai district. The volunteer team was taught to identify and report anything that might be suspicious in 13 city zones to prevent a recurrence of violence. They were also given copies of the arrest warrants for key suspects and pictures of stolen vehicles that might be used in future car-bomb attacks.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE

Pattani Senator Anusart Suwanmongkol, in his capacity as spokesman for the Senate panel on the South, yesterday led other senators to the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel to gather additional data and provide moral support to hotel executives.

The hotel is expected to resume services on May 1, even though four cars, including the Honda Civic allegedly used for the bombing, remain unclaimed.

As for Songkhla residents fearing that tourists would stay away, it was a nice surprise when some 20 buses carrying some 700 Malaysian tourists arrived yesterday for the weekend. Most of the tourists said they were not worried about what had happened and had confidence in the country's security measures.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Pattani Islamic Committee and its allies offered condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the car bombings. They also called on all parties to find solutions for disputes, be they ideological or political, in order to restore peace

-- The Nation 2012-04-08

[patekatek]

"Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday also promised to remedy the situation and step up security in a bid to restore peace and public confidence."

Yingluck Obama has made the most difficult to keep promise of her life. Her ability to remedy the situation in the south and restore peace will have about as much success as the Philippines, Afganistan, Somalia, and countless other countries who are trying to control the insane operatives of the Islam extremists. If, however, Yingluck can successfully give back the 3 disputed provinces to Malaysia or give autononmy to those regions, there may be a chance of peace. Until then, wear fashionable kevlar if traveling to the deep south.

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I can remeber this going on for the 10 years I have been here and asked my wife who said as long as she can remember.

If they have not been able to do something in all those years why now ?

a few extra police and check points will do nothing except keep more tourist away

Edited April 8, 2012 by metisdead
Bold font removed, again! Please stop posting in bold font.

[harada]

Cant see Malaysia wanting them back,autonomy and tightly controlled borders might be the way to go.

[Markaew]

They really shouldn't show pictures of the government in session. It doesn't instill much confidence.

[hellodolly]

Cant see Malaysia wanting them back,autonomy and tightly controlled borders might be the way to go.

No Malaysia does not want them. I don't think they ever were a part of Malaysia until the British took over.

At any rate security is not going to stop the problem. The only real hope to solve the problem is to try t get enough Muslims together and say enough. We are going to put a end to it. As is all the support they get is from the Muslims who believe in them.

[Ernest63]

They really shouldn't show pictures of the government in session

Edited April 8, 2012 by Ernest63

[anterian]

When you look at the relationship between post WW2 Islam and the West, it is clear that every time the West accedes to an Islamic demand (note they demand, not request), they simply up the ante and demand more. Europe is learning this fact the hard way.

[MEL1]

What a stack of books they all have.

Shame they won't read them, and that they do not have the ability to.

Nothing is done by the book with this group of Pirates!

-mel.

[Sayonarax]

I can remeber this going on for the 10 years I have been here and asked my wife who said as long as she can remember.

If they have not been able to do something in all those years why now ?

a few extra police and check points will do nothing except keep more tourist away

Because denial seemed to have worked in the pass for the Thai's, so why stop it now.

[bigbamboo]

Cant see Malaysia wanting them back,autonomy and tightly controlled borders might be the way to go.

Or independence.

[Skywalker69]

They really shouldn't show pictures of the government in session. It doesn't instill much confidence.

100% agreed.

[MEL1]

The day YingLuck offers sincere condolences will be the day Chalerm disappears, and when she smiles slowly and sadly, saying "Our kid did that!" on his way back in...

-mel.

[fxe1200]

Cant see Malaysia wanting them back,autonomy and tightly controlled borders might be the way to go.

Or independence.

Independence is the only solution in the South, which will lead to peace finally. Let them do their own thing. But it is known, that there is a lot of gas and oil still to be exploited off the coast of Narathiwat. This is the most probable reason, that Thai politicians do not want them to be independent.

[Skywalker69]

What a stack of books they all have.

Shame they won't read them, and that they do not have the ability to.

Nothing is done by the book with this group of Pirates!

-mel.

[trainman34014]

I sense another broken Yingluck promise coming on !

[heiwa]

Let's hope the security in the South will be matched in Bangkok and Phuket. Bombers have legs and cars and if it gets too difficult for them here they are likely to migrate to easier targets. I would prefer to see soldiers if it makes me feels safer. I know it won't look pretty but that is not important to me. Have seen them employ this in Laos and works very well. People tend to behave when they know they can be riddled with bullets any second. Also a no thoroughfare for motorbikes and cars would be helpful. After eating at Oishi Sushi Diana Shopping Complex Hat Yai today it was hard not to be reminded of the bombs almost constantly - took a bit of the joy out of eating thinking of the poor souls who perished or were burnt. However, the lovely Thai people were very happy to see me and their tip was very well deserved just for turning up - very brave indeed - after the horror of last week. I hope the soldiers secure Khao San Road in particular as these old style buildings would offer no chance in a similar explosion as Lee Gardens and with so many young foreign men and ladies it would be a tragedy indeed which their parents would most wish to avoid.

[heiwa]

The history of our world - one and one makes one. Everyone is too afraid to talk regards independence as it will look like cowering to demands. Then again, these people once had a homogenous population, ethnic Malay, so are they really asking for the Earth. Many died fighting for their homogenous ethnic populations in World War 2. Just because Western nations are now post World War 2 happy to create ethnic/muslim melting pots does that mean they are wrong to want to be homogenous like the Japanese, Chinese or Tibetans? However, do the few bombers represent the wishes of the majority? A referendum by an external country may make the bombing stop completely if it showed that very few wanted independent rule. Even talk of a referendum could halt the killings - and also it could teach the bombers that they don't represent the majority. This has yet to be ascertained. And who is currently representing the affairs of these people? Is it local community leaders or "outsiders"? Seems the waters are very murky. If anyone can shed some light on things much appreciated. It is interesting the show of strength of buddhist monks in central Yala over the last several days - if not provoking? We are not leaving I guess it is demonstrates very boldly. With buddhism being an extreme minority in this area is it really worth putting their lives, soldiers and all community members at risk and the risks of tourists all over the country and of course the economy and livelihoods that go with it? I think not. So much unnecessary bloodshed for egos to be stroked - for the sake of peace?

Edited April 8, 2012 by heiwa

[heiwa]

Cant see Malaysia wanting them back,autonomy and tightly controlled borders might be the way to go.

No Malaysia does not want them. I don't think they ever were a part of Malaysia until the British took over.

At any rate security is not going to stop the problem. The only real hope to solve the problem is to try t get enough Muslims together and say enough. We are going to put a end to it. As is all the support they get is from the Muslims who believe in them.

The prime minister said Malaysia would continue to assist Thailand, its neighbour, in seeking a political solution in the interest of the well-being of the people in southern Thailand. In 2009 he said autonomy was the best bet. Over 3,000 more deaths and 9,000 more maimed and how many missing? perhaps he "was" right?

[WackySomchai]

Some parrott crocodile tears will not help, especially when it was her fugitive brother's failed negotiations with the terrorists which resulted in more innocent deaths.

Edited April 8, 2012 by WackySomchai

[harada]

Not a book out of place, probably be like that for a while,

[Soutpeel]

The solution to the Sourthen problem is very simple.....just get brother #1 to pay off the insurgent leaders off....

Edited April 9, 2012 by Soutpeel