PM Yingluck Tells Deep South Of Govt's Plans To Restore Peace In Region

[Buchholz]

Chalerm: Southern unrest is PM’s priority

BANGKOK, 9 August 2012 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung has reaffirmed that the Prime Minister is placing importance on solving the southern insurgency even though she has not paid a visit to the troubled region.

In response to an inquiry made by Mr. Surachet Wae-asae, Democrat MP for Narathiwat, for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s clarification on the situation in the Deep South, Police Captain Chalerm insisted that the premier has given her attention to the insurgency problem. He also revealed that he has been assigned by Yingluck to oversee the peace restoration mission.

On the other hand, Police Captain Chalerm explained that neither the Prime Minister nor he himself has traveled to the three southernmost provinces to follow up on the situation on fear that their presence would cause hassles to local security officers.

The Democrat MP then asked whether the government knew who the insurgents were.

As a response, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that their identities have already been known, but cannot yet be revealed.

He also indicated that the situation in the South has now improved as the number of deaths has declined.

In addition, Police Captain Chalerm said the government has always relied on the same organizations established during the previous administration for dealing with the unrest and has not replaced the staff with new people as accused.

-- NNT 2012-08-09

[skills32]

Why don't they hold a referendum asking the south if they want to separate?

Why don't they announce that they will give them separatism if some one wants it?

Why don't they call the bluff?

After all Thailand would not miss much if they had no south; maybe they would be better off without it.

[Buchholz]

Chalerm: Southern unrest is PM’s priority

Police Captain Chalerm insisted that the premier has given her attention to the insurgency problem. He also revealed that he has been assigned by Yingluck to oversee the peace restoration mission.

As a response, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that their identities have already been known, but cannot yet be revealed.

He also indicated that the situation in the South has now improved

"restore peace in region"... "priority"..... "improved"....

Insurgents launch 102 attacks in 1 day

Five bombings leave 6 people injured; Malaysian flags planted all over region

Insurgents staged 102 violent incidents, including five bomb attacks that wounded six security officials, in the deep South yesterday, timing them to coincide with Malaysia's independence day for symbolic effect, the commander of the Fourth Army Area based in Pattani said yesterday.

Lt-General Udomchai Thammasarojrat said the widely reported recent killing of four soldiers was intended to send a message to the international community that Thai authorities had lost control of the deep South, while signalling that the overall separatist battle was nearly won.

The insurgents intended the incidents to incite hatred between Thai and ethnic Malay people while painting a bad image of Thailand in the eyes of its neighbours and generally promoting their cause, he said.

On behalf of the Fourth Army Area and residents of southern Thailand, Udomchai congratulated Malaysia on the 55th anniversary of its independence. The national day is known as Merdeka Day.

By displaying a Malaysian national flag at the site of every incident yesterday, the insurgents were attempting to disrupt Thailand's good relations with Malaysia, the general said. This a common psychological ploy used by the rebels to foment bilateral conflict and undermine good relations, he said. They want to send a signal that they have a large armed militia when in fact their numbers are small, he said.

There were five separate bomb attacks in Narathiwat yesterday, injuring six security officials - three Marines and three Army rangers - said spokesman Colonel Pramote Phrom-in. A large number of Malaysian national flags were placed at many sites in Songkhla, several bomb hoaxes were staged and Thai national flags were burned, among many similar incidents in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, officials said.

Of the 102 incidents, 34 occurred in Yala, 44 in Narathiwat, 12 in Pattani and 12 in Songkhla. August 31 also marks the day that the Malay separatist organisation Bersatu, or MPRMP (Council of the Muslim People of Pattani), was founded in 1989.

The spokesman said the insurgents sought to create violence and chaos to undermine the launch of the Asean Economic Community in 2015. Under the AEC, people across Southeast Asia, including those in the deep South, anticipate an era of greater prosperity and high economic growth, which should see people turn their backs on separatism and end their support for the insurgents, Pramote said.

A security source said the use of Malaysian national flags at the site of 102 incidents was a big issue, despite no fatalities occurring. "Producing flags in 102 incidents is not an easy thing to do; it was done to show [the insurgents'] potential, and led to the incidents being reported in international news coverage," the source added.

"This could lead to the insurgents' signalling that their separatist struggle is nearly won. Many of the flags were flown at schools, replacing Thai national flags that were taken down and burned," the source said.

-- The Nation 2012-09-01

Edited August 31, 2012 by Buchholz

[David006]

You cannot impose peace.

Peace comes through reconciliation, forgiveness, inclusion and proper understanding.

The foundation of which is respect for tradition, community values and cultural differences.

The caveat is that the conditions can only be created through a proper political process which, I regret to say, is lacking.

+1....Good post.

proper political process and religious dogma are evidently mutually exclusive...been going on since long before Herod tried sucking up to the Jews by persecuting Jesus's crowd .............regrettable ....yes you got that right

[Buchholz]

Link to Photo:

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/supermarket-photo-232422347.html

A Thai policeman inspects a burnt-out supermarket a day after a fire triggered by a bomb explosion blamed on suspected separatist militants in Thailand's restive southern province of Narathiwat.

AFP Photo - September 2, 2012

[sunshine51]

"Yingluck promises to encourage local participation, create more jobs"

From where there are no front lines....

I guess this is what she meant. Somebody has gotta clean this up and restock

the store. And I guess this pic just goes to show that the only people who are

still "helping themselves" are the bad guys.

Nice compendium of recent events webfact...brings other readers up to date.

NB...edited to overcome fatdigititis keypaditis & added the PM's pic.

Edited September 2, 2012 by sunshine51

[sunshine51]

For those TV members who care to read some history about the

"troubles in the South" I have looked through my hard drive and

decided to upload the following. I have also included 2 web links

that I feel will give a fairly decent quick read for those not inclined

to read a long pdf file.

Here's the poop....

http://www.religionconflictpeace.org/volume-3-issue-2-spring-2010/conflicts-and-peace-initiatives-between-minority-muslims-and-thai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Thailand_insurgency

The Wiki page is quite good...Now for the pdf's...

croissantFeb05.pdf

The Malay-Muslim Insurgency-RAND-OP198.pdf

Southern Thailand-Insurgency Not Jihad.pdf

Jones Thesis.pdf

SIPRIPP20.pdf

Thailand’s Southern Fires.pdf

Strategic Perspectives 6_Abuza .pdf

Perhaps these will help in understanding, or trying to understand

just what is happening down here and why we see the photos

and vdo's on the news & in the papers. There is no quick fix

to this mess folks...it's been happening way to long.

[rubl]

Thanks for the info, sunshine. Now to find time to read it all after which the real hard time comes, trying to digest, understand.

[Buchholz]

Owner of incinerated Super department store requests compensation

NARATHIWAT -- The owner of Super Department Store in the southern province of Narathiwat asks the government for compensation after a bomb attack that resulted in around Bt100 million in fire damage.

Super Department Store 4 Narathiwat Deputy Managing Director Waraphon Sirichai said that she believed the fire was started from a bomb which was hidden in the department store, because an explosion sound was heard from inside the building before the fire that raged through the department store.

She said damages would be around Bt100 million as the building, clothes, and goods were totally destroyed.

Ms Waraphon said she wanted the government to help by extending remedy or compensation promptly as her department store needed capital to run the business and more time was needed to recover from the incident. Ms Waraphon said she was eager to carry on for her family and staff.

She said her staff had played a crucial role in preventing an attack at the department store until the incident on Friday.

More than 200 staff would be forced to stop working as it would take time to rebuild the department store, she said.

Ms Waraphon said the attack was aimed at sabotaging the economy of the province.

Meanwhile, tightened security was applied in Songkhla's Hat Yai district after bombs were planted with Malaysian flags and disturbances seen in four southernmost provinces.

Defence volunteers on foot patrol were deployed along main trade and tourism areas of Hat Yai to discourage any future attacks.

Songkhla police also set up security checkpoints around the city centre to ensure the safety of the commercial district.

-- TNA 2012-09-02

[ThailandMysteries]

[quote name=sunshine51' timestamp='1346567475' post='5627715'

Here's the poop....

http://www.religionconflictpeace.org/volume-3-issue-2-spring-2010/conflicts-and-peace-initiatives-between-minority-muslims-and-thai

Great link.

Edited September 2, 2012 by ThailandMysteries

[Buchholz]

Four shot dead and burnt in Thai south unrest

YALA, Thailand, Sept 15, 2012 (AFP) -Three paramilitary soldiers and a woman were shot dead by militants who then torched their bodies in an early morning ambush in Thailand's restive south, police said Saturday.

"I think that they had already died before the gunmen set fire to their pick-up truck," said Lieutenant-Colonel Charas Chinapong, of Muang district police, adding that the bodies were found inside the truck. Hundreds of bullet cases were found at the scene, he said.

In response to an uptick in the violence over the summer Thai authorities have said they are stepping up efforts to talk with militant leaders but analysts are skeptical of the likelihood of peace in the near future.

Continued:

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/se-asia/story/4-shot-dead-and-burnt-militants-thai-south-unrest-20120915

[Buchholz]

Links to Photos:

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/rescue-workers-gather-around-covered-body-burnt-car-photo-055100134.html

Rescue workers gather around a covered body and a burnt car in the troubled southern province of Yala September 15, 2012. Three Thai paramilitary rangers and one civilian were shot dead and their bodies burnt by suspected insurgents in Yala, police said.

Reuters

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/civilians-security-forces-rescue-workers-gather-attack-troubled-photo-055321588.html

Civilians, security forces and rescue workers gather at the site of an attack in the troubled southern province of Yala September 15, 2012. Three Thai paramilitary rangers and one civilian were shot dead and their bodies burnt by suspected insurgents in Yala, police said.

Reuters

.

[Fozfromoz]

She will have it fixed soon. After all "understanding, reaching out and development." is what the red shirts have shown to be their prime aim.

<deleted> has that got to do with it?

[Fozfromoz]

Has she explained her plan to her southern neighbors...?

I have an idea. Yingluck could send loose cannon Isaan Rambo with about 5,000 of his rent-a-mob red thugs down south and let them clean out the terrorist. Oh wait.......I doubt of one group of terrorist would clean out another group of terrorists.

Mate. You are wasting valuable bandwidth on your diatribe.

[Buchholz]

Policeman shot dead in Pattani

September 21, 2012

A border patrol policeman was shot dead Thursday while driving on a road in the violence-plagued province of Pattani.

Pol Sub Lt Abdulloh Doloh, 56, left his office in a white Mistubishi sedan and was heading for home when four men on two motorcycles approached his car and shot at him.

Lt Abdulloh lost control of his car as he died, and the careening vehicle hit three motorcycles on the Yaring district road. The assailants escaped from the scene.

The slain police officer was attached to Border Patrol Police Unit 44.

The Nation

[Buchholz]

Six killed, 39 injured in Pattani car bomb attack

September 21, 2012

Pattani - Insurgents fired at a gold shop in this southern border province before they detonated a car bomb, killing six people and injuring 39 others, police said.

The explosion occurred at about 12:40 pm in the business area of Sai Buri district.

About five insurgents opened fire at the Kamolphan gold shop and police and rangers rushed to check the scene.

Although the officials tried to block onlookers away, a huge crowd gathered to watch. The explosion occurred about 20 minutes later after the officials arrived at the scene.

The Nation

.

[Buchholz]

Four injured in Narathiwat school bombing

Two school directors and two soldiers were injured on Monday after insurgents triggered a bomb hidden in a pavilion where they were sitting in the latest violence in Narathiwat's Bajoh district.

The four were Korde Laemaenae, Director of Ban Batu School where the attack took place, Ma Dueramae, Director of Ban Buenaepiyae School, Private Wattana Sridet and Private Panuwat Chinrak, were rushed to nearby Bajoh Hospital. Each suffered shrapnel wounds to their bodies.

The initial police investigation revealed that the directors and soldiers were discussing preparations for a meeting of school directors from the area in the pavilion when the bomb went off. The meeting's theme is "Dream School."

The insurgents were believed to have hidden near the pavilion and set off the explosives when they saw the group sitting there.

The blast destroyed marble stools in the pavilion and blew a small hole in the edifice.

-- The Nation 2012-09-24

[Buchholz]

Two students injured in Narathiwat bus blast

Two students were injured by shrapnel when their school bus was hit by an explosion in Narathiwat's Yi Ngor district Thursday morning.

Sitinuriya Baka, 14 and Nadia Jehama, 17, both of Romklao School were rushed to a nearby hospital before being transferred to Narathiwat Rachanakarin Hospital. Both suffered injuries to their arms.

Police were alerted at 7.40am about the bomb attack, which took place at a bridge in Bukeh Palash village. Arriving at the scene, police found the school bus, which had suffered a flat tyre and was riddled with shrapnel.

Police believed that insurgents planted explosives on the approach to the bridge and triggered them as the school bus passed by.

Bus driver Ekkapong Samu, 58, told police that he drove the bus from Romklao School every morning to pick up some 70 students and had an army vehicle in the front for protection.

When the bus was approaching the bridge, the explosives went off, injuring the two students who were sitting near the front door.

Police believe that the insurgents were targeting soldiers in the army vehicle but missed.

Meanwhile in Yala's Raman district, police were alerted at 7.45am about a bomb attack in a rubber plantation in Tambon Jakwa, which injured a cow.

The police investigation found that villagers heard the sound of an explosion at 3.50am but did not come out to check.

In the morning, they found a cow with a wound on its leg by a rubber tree and alerted police. The bomb squad also defused two booby traps nearby.

Police believed that insurgents planted the explosives at the base tree and at two others nearby to lure officials to the scene before setting them off.

-- The Nation 2012-09-27

[Buchholz]

Family and relatives attend a funeral for Komsun Chomyong, a teacher who was gunned down by insurgents in Narathiwat on Monday. The killing of Komsun, who taught at Baan Bor Ngo School in Rangae district, led to the suspension of classes at his school.

SLAYING OF 152ND TEACHER IN FAR SOUTH

The spirit of teachers in the far southern province of Narathiwat has sunk to an all-time low after the shooting of a staff member from Baan Bor Ngo School in Rangae district on Monday.

The school abruptly suspended classes on learning of the slaying of Komsun Chomyong, who became the 152nd member of the country's educational personnel to be killed in the insurgency, which has raged in the far south since 2004.

Sanguan Indharak, president of the Teachers' Federation of Narathiwat, said yesterday troops sealed the area where Komsun was shot dead in an attempt to find the culprits. "Our spirit has been low for years due to the daily violence in the region. But now it is at its lowest because of Monday's attack on Khru Komsun," he said.

Sanguan spoke after attending an urgent meeting of teachers' federations in the southern region in Songkhla. The meeting agreed the situation had worsened and that teachers and students' lives were at risk. They were considering postponing final exams in a bid to close the first semester earlier than scheduled.

It was possible that final exams will be conducted at the beginning of the second semester to allow security officials to control the situation and reduce risks to teachers and students, he said.

Schools are allowed to make their own decisions on whether to speed up the exams and end the semester early or to delay the exams till the next semester.

Security authorities yesterday tightened security in Narathiwat after Komsun was shot dead while returning home from school on Monday.

Police are seeking the gunman who took the slain teacher's handgun. The homes of suspects have been raided, but the killer has not been found.

Ba-ngokubo village in Bor Ngo sub-district is believed to house armed RKK militants. The authorities believe the gunman is still hiding in the area.

Patrol and teacher protection units stepped up security measures while the school has been closed temporarily because of the slaying. The body of the teacher will be returned to his home in the central province of Ratchaburi.

In related news, a village headman, Khorya Palae, 55, and his assistant, Sama-ae Kaleh, 52, were shot dead while returning home in a pickup from a monthly meeting in Yarang in Pattani yesterday afternoon. Assailants on a motorcycle approached their truck on a rural road between Pong Sata Village and Sa No Village before shooting a rifle at them, killing Khorya instantly. Sama-ae was pronounced dead at Pattani Hospital.

-- The Nation 2012-10-03

Edited October 3, 2012 by Buchholz

[OZEMADE]

And a couple more you missed today.

Pattani

One killed, another injured in shooting

October 3, 2012 2:00 pm

A village head was shot dead and his assistant was wounded in an insurgent attack as they drove from a meeting in the restive southern province of Pattani Wednesday.

Koya Kamae, 52 of Ban Pula village, died at the scene while Sama-ae Karao, 52, the victim's assistant, was injured, according to Pol Col Tuande Chutanant, chief of Yarang police station.

The attack took place as the men were returning to their homes after the monthly meeting at the Yarang district office.

As Koya drove, unidentified assailants in another pickup followed them and drew alongside the headman's vehicle.

The gunman, in the back of the pickup truck, shot them with an AK47 assault rifle.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/One-killed-another-injured-in-shooting-30191604.html

South Crisis

Nine insurgents surrender in Yala

October 3, 2012 1:54 pm

A group of nine southern insurgents surrendered to the authorities in Yala on Tuesday, saying that they wished to give up their fight and were ready to face existing legal procedures.

Yala Governor Dejrat Simsiri was on hand to witness the nine coming forward to report to the authorities to help restore peace in the southernmost provinces.

Four were suspects who may have been involved in previous violent attacks although insufficient evidence is available to request arrest warrants from the court.

Three were defendants whose cases are pending in the courts for security related offences.

All have been temporarily released with verification documents issued by the Yala authorities.

The remaining two men are defendants in a security-related case. They were acquitted by the Court but said they still live in fear and that they decided to meet the authorities after learning about the policy to bring peace to the troubled region.

Dejrat said the province has been implementing a development policy to ease violence in the area, based on His Majesty the King’s advice - to understand, access and develop the local area as well as setting up the Yala Outreach Centre between October 2009 and April 3 this year.

During the period, 209 insurgents joined the government’s attempt to bring peace to the southern provinces.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Nine-insurgents-surrender-in-Yala-30191602.html

[Buchholz]

Eleven dead in Thai militant attacks

Suspected Muslim militants have shot dead 11 people including three paramilitary rangers in a single day of bloodshed in Thailand's insurgency-plagued south.

The rangers were ambushed while travelling in a pick-up truck on Monday in Pattani province. On the same day, four Buddhist rubber tappers died on their way to work in two separate gun attacks in Pattani, while a pair of Muslim men were killed in a drive-by shooting in neighbouring Yala province, police said.

Two vegetable vendors were also shot dead in Songkhla province, which had been relatively untouched by the violence until a number of attacks this year, including a series of car bombs in April that left 15 people dead.

Continued:

http://news.ninemsn....aspx?id=8545374

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-10-09

[Buchholz]

Bomb kills woman, injures 33 in Yala

A motorcycle-bomb blast in downtown Yala yesterday morning killed one person and wounded 33 others, while causing five shophouses to catch fire, as well as other property damage.

Security officials said they believed two highly sought-after insurgents - Hassan Mousodi and Saudi Satapor - were behind yesterday's attack. The officials were compiling intelligence and further evidence to back up their claim.

Meanwhile, a monitoring centre said this year had been the worst for vehicular bomb attacks since violence flared in the Deep South in 2004.

The Director of Deep South Watch, Asst Prof Srisomphob Jitphiromsri, said the number of general insurgent attacks was down, but the vehicular bombs had a more serious psychological impact on the local population.

He said the recent spike in insurgent violence was aimed at attracting the attention of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting held last week in Djibouti. He did not elaborate.

Yesterday's attack, at around 7.30am, targeted a five-member team of military dog handlers travelling in a pickup truck, police said. The blast, likely detonated by mobile phone signals, also caused a car to catch fire, along with five nearby homes, and damaged two shops selling construction materials. The bomb was hidden in a motorcycle with a sidecar parked near the shops.

The body of the lone fatality, 49-year-old woman, was found slumped on a motorcycle parked nearby. Eyewitnesses told police she was struck by the soldiers' pickup, which was blown in her direction by the powerful blast. Ten of the wounded remain in hospital, while 23 others were allowed to go home after treatment.

The Army's chief in Yala, Major-General Prakan Chollayuth, conceded security measures were lax and vowed to improve them. A manhunt was later carried out after a blockade of both suspects' homes, but no trace of them was found.

Police said Hassan was an insurgent leader active in Muang Yala district with close ties to suspected bomb-maker Saudi. Video footage from security cameras showed a man riding a motorcycle with a sidecar around the area before parking it in front of one of the shops. This suspect was later picked up by a man on another motorcycle, later seen heading towards a railway line.

Owners of two shops called for help from officials but couldn't give an estimate of damage.

Separately, a security blockade was conducted in Narathiwat to look for four insurgent leaders reportedly in hiding with help of sympathetic locals, but turned up no suspects or other clues.

A police-soldier force surrounded a village of 80 homes in Ra-ngae district to seek Amran Ming, Abdulhakim Puteh, Tuansae Tuankueji, and Usni Badoh, in the hope of arresting men who were their subordinates.

-- The Nation 2012-11-18

[lizardtongue]

Bomb kills woman, injures 33 in Yala

[ttelise]

If they want peace they better get a new suicide watch team. Not much more sickening than for parents to see their children die in prison.

Picking up the bloody pieces after they have been blown apart by a bomb might just top that. Some terrorist dies in prison - sympathy factor approaches zero.

There we go using that word terrorist again - thinking that one word can define this problem - very intelligent - once again.

I was merely pointing out that picking up the pieces of your child killed by a bomb may be a little more disconcerting than the news that your "freedom fighter" offspring (possibly responsible for similar bombings) has died in prison.

I would like to hear your more intelligent description of those who plant bombs to kill anyone unfortunate enough to be in the area, and in particular target schools and teachers, in the name of some obscure and unstated political goal.

They are terrorist scum. No reason to sugar coat it. Anyone that indiscriminantly bombs little children, women and innocents is right their with pedeophiles as the lowest form of human existence.

[Buchholz]

Breaking News

Fourteen people injured as railway bomb derails Yala-Sungai Kolok train, gunshots heard

MCOT - Nov. 18, 2012

http://www.mcot.net/...15#.UKh5H5gY2So

Edited November 18, 2012 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

2 killed in train ambush in Thailand's south

Suspected insurgents have detonated an improvised bomb that derailed a train and killed two railway guards in Thailand's south, hours before President Barack Obama visits the country.

Police Col. Dulyaman Yaena said an unknown number of insurgents exchanged gunfire with other railway guards before fleeing.

Two railway guards died from wounds caused by the explosion while 15 others were hospitalized. The incident was the second attack on the weekend Obama arrives in Thailand. In the other incident, one person was killed when a motorcycle bomb exploded.

Continued:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121118/as-thailand-southern-violence/?utm_hp_ref=homepage&ir=homepage

Associated Press - November 18, 2012

.

[Buchholz]

The bomb that derailed the train was put on track at the Bukit Yure station in Narathiwat. It exploded when the Yala-Sungai Kolok train had stopped at the station. The bomb was described as a gas cylinder weighing 100 kilos.

Among the injured, at least four suffered traumatic amputations of their arms or legs from the huge explosion.

After the bomb exploded, insurgents then began firing weapons.

The Governor of the State Railways of Thailand is on his way to the scene.

.

[Buchholz]

Scenes of the train bombing...

Thai Rath (Thai) - Nov. 18, 2012

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/region/306996

.

[Pimay1]

Scenes of the train bombing...

Thai Rath (Thai) - Nov. 18, 2012

http://www.thairath....t/region/306996

.

PM Yingluck Tells Deep South Of Govt's Plans To Restore Peace In Region

Does anyone know when the kickoff date of this new plan is?

[Buchholz]

Scenes of the train bombing...

PM Yingluck Tells Deep South Of Govt's Plans To Restore Peace In Region

Does anyone know when the kickoff date of this new plan is?

It was kicked off 204 days ago.

Her program achieved this distinction covering from 3,125 days ago

this year had been the worst for vehicular bomb attacks since violence flared in the Deep South in 2004

.