General Promises Limited Curfews In Deep South: Thailand

[webfact]

SOUTHERN UNREST

General promises limited curfews

The Nation

Daopong

Violence 'troubles King, Queen'; 3 more suspects named in slaying of 4 soldiers

BANGKOK: -- Curfews in the deep South, while always an option for authorities, will be imposed only on certain routes, not blanketing an entire area as claimed by critics in the media, Army deputy commander General Daphong Rattanasuwan said yesterday.

Any improvement in the situation in the South would help to improve the health of Their Majesties the King and Queen, according to Daphong, who said Their Majesties worried about the insurgent violence and were constantly concerned about the welfare and safety of the local population, both Buddhist and Muslim.

"Not one day goes by on which Their Majesties do not follow the situation in the deep South in news reports. The King and the Queen have cordial ties with local Muslims after year after year of visits to the Ratchaniwet Palace [in Narathiwat].

"I believe that any improvement in the situation would result in good health for Their Majesties, and their longevity for the Thai people," the general said.

On the possibility of curfews in the region, Daphong said they would likely be imposed on certain routes in areas where insurgents were most active. People could still travel at night, but were simply required to register first.

Only a proposal

"In principle, curfew has been proposed as a solution and has proved an effective tool when imposed, but no official permission has yet been granted to implement them," he said.

"To tackle the violence comprehensively, all solutions are needed with every party concerned being involved, as the military alone cannot solve all problems single-handedly. All-out military means could be used one day if necessary, but understanding from local Muslims is vital for such drastic action."

On the use of martial law and an emergency decree - special laws still in effect in certain areas in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala - Daphong said they might sound draconian but were used primarily in two situations. Martial law is invoked when security officials conduct raids and blockades without prior court warrants, and the decree is used when a 30-day detention of suspects is needed in the absence of any charge.

"Curfews can be immediately imposed, relying on these two laws, and will not be used as a blanket measure, or blindly, because the rights and liberties of locals are always the concern. What we are doing is making the locals understand that the situation we are all facing is not normal, and one should not expect to live a normal life; so far the residents are cooperating," he said.

Arrest warrants were yesterday approved for three more suspects in a recent ambush in which four soldiers were killed. The suspects were identified as Rohsuedee Jaene, Noor Abidin Jarong and Abdul Hadee Dahaleng.

Active insurgents identified

Security sources said the three men were among those seen in widely circulated security-camera footage of the ambush and were all active insurgents who were behind several attacks.

Rohsuedee has one bad leg and is seen in the footage commanding the other insurgents to open fire on the soldiers who were killed. The two other suspects are wanted for several crimes.

The military leadership and key Cabinet members in charge of a new government operations centre yesterday visited the South. Army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha defended the establishment of the so-called Pentagon II centre, saying it was not a new agency, but served as a coordination unit to integrate implementation of all government agencies concerned under 17 ministries.

He called on the media to understand the military more and avoid publishing post-incident photos, as it would help spread terror among the local communities and the general public - a key objective of the insurgents. He also dismissed media criticism about the soldiers' performance, saying that would only demoralise the troops.

Responding to reports about a large number of insurgents wanting to surrender under certain conditions, Prayuth said any such deal should not extend to those with records of violence. This was a key factor resulting in their subsequent hesitation to surrender. He said such an offer should not be made along the lines of Order 66/23, which famously pardoned communist fighters during their armed struggle, as they did not murder innocent civilians as the insurgents had done.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva proposed yesterday that a House debate, without voting, on the current spike in insurgent violence be held two weeks after the completion of the 2013 budget vetting. He called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in particular to attend the session, which he said could be held behind closed doors if necessary.

-- The Nation 2012-08-11

[SouthernMan3]

General promises limited curfews

Good !

[SouthernMan3]

" He called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in particular to attend the session."

Seems right to me.

She is after all the Prime Minister of the country.

Actually isn't she supposed to be working there every day (except on official business trips or vacations I suppose).

Or partys like the one they had the night of the bombing in Pattani recently.......

[OzMick]

Somchai on his motorcycle gets stopped at a roadblock 5 minutes before start of curfew. Pol Lt Duang checks his licence then pulls his revolver and blows Somchai's brains out. Second asks why as still 5 minutes to go. Duang says yeah, but he had no chance of making it home in time.

[sunshine51]

I second Southernman3's reply.....

dam_n GOOD!

It's a start.

[chinook]

Impractical for rubber tappers and karaoke bars............... won't last.

[Thai at Heart]

Strewth, read the 1st 3 paragraphs and you instantly know it isn't going well.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Thai at Heart