Rebels Hit Tak Bai In Lead-Up To Anniversary

[webfact]

Rebels hit Tak Bai in lead-up to anniversary

The Nation

Officer, insurgent killed in multiple attacks in Narathiwat district

NARATHIWAT: -- Just days before the eighth anniversary of Narathiwat's Tak Bai massacre, the province erupted in violence over the weekend, with attacks continuing yesterday after five simultaneous incidents in Tak Bai district on Saturday. The violence claimed the lives of an insurgent and a soldier.

An attack yesterday in Bacho district claimed the life of Petty Officer First Class Issarawut Palasak, who was driving an armoured personnel vehicle to help four comrades injured in an earlier attack.

Issarawut and three other troopers were on their way to the scene of an attack in tambon Bareh Tai in Tak Bai district when their vehicle was struck by remotely detonated explosives buried in the road. The impact forced the vehicle off the road, killing Issarawut instantly. The three other soldiers in the vehicle were seriously wounded.

Thursday marks the eighth anniversary of the Tak Bai massacre of hundreds of people arrested during a protest against the detention of six local men. They were handcuffed and thrown into trucks bound for an Army camp in nearby Pattani province. When the trucks arrived at the camp, 85 of the detainees were found to have suffocated during the journey.

On Saturday, Tak Bai district was rocked with five simultaneous attacks in which an insurgent was killed and five people were wounded, including a police officer and a 9-year-old girl.

In one of the attacks, Tak Bai police station came under fire, leaving Pol Senior Sgt-Major Thoranin Ponpasuk, a Marine Police officer, with injuries to his left leg. The station and boats moored at its pier were riddled with bullets.

The insurgents also triggered explosives at a convenience store, a karaoke parlour and a hotel restaurant.

As of yesterday, police had not been able to identify a man believed to be an insurgent killed during the attack on Tak Bai police station. Police said the man was a resident of Sungai Kolok district in Narathiwat.

Meanwhile, police impounded an Isuzu pickup truck left on Sungai Kolok-Tak Bai Road after being alerted by local villagers. On the back seat of the vehicle, police found home-made explosives in a 50kg gas cylinder. A bomb squad spent around half an hour defusing the device.

An initial police investigation found that the vehicle was stolen from Rusoh district on October 8. Police said they would run a check on fingerprints found in the vehicle to identify those involved.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister General Yutthasak Sasiprapha said during a visit to Surat Thani province that he would this week visit the deep South to give moral support to authorities and villagers.

-- The Nation 2012-10-22

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

[siampolee]

Another dividend payment resulting in loss of life due to Thaksins government and its repressive tactics in the South

[theajarn]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

Edited October 22, 2012 by theajarn

[fxe1200]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

A better strategy with civic participation could have been implemented ages ago, but Thai politics only know brute force and negligence in the South. Southerners are treated by Thai politics not differently than stray-dogs in Thailand.

[Colabamumbai]

Afghanistan, the Taliban on a smaller scale, roadside bombs. Unfortunately following world politics/economics for 20 years, I do not see things getting better in the South of Thailand. I left Laos in 74, Afghanistan in 76, I hope I will not be leaving Thailand in 2015.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Colabamumbai

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

A better way would be open up a couple of pork serving restaurants in the area with a couple of big American or Israeli flags outside and post the army snipers around them well hidden, will attract the terrorists like flies to cow dung...

[Halion]

My wifes family are resident in Pattani and have been for two generations. They are Buddhists and are as nice a group of people that you could find, however, what I can not comprehend is the absolute apathy that exists within the law abiding community.

It is a resolve that would tend to suggest that they know/understand intrinsically that nothing will be done about these problems by a Government that is clueless and simply does not care and wishes to brush it under the carpet a military and police force that are inept,disfunctional and corrupted.

With the tools available it is beyond reason that any solution can or will be brought to bare to cease this senseless violence.

Killing and bombing are a daily occurance and the various groups of insurgents have undoubtedly gained the upper hand in both the subjugation of the local population and their totally disregard for the so called authorities. Over the last 5 years the conditions have deterioated significantly and will continue to get worse.

We have a myriad of outrage regarding the massive corruption in this country with regard to the unlawful syphoning of money, however, this palls in the light of the routine carnage and vilonce that is a straple part of life in the" Deep South "..

The inability of the Government and their combined military and police operations to gain some control of this region is a total disgrace and they should be ashamed that they simple fiddle while Rome burns.... and people die.

There is a real war going on in this region, however, the Govenment continues to play this down in fear that if it was to go viral international it would surely hurt their precious tourist figures. Disgraceful

[asiawatcher]

These 'insurgents' in the South care nothing other than controlling the populace by fear and intimidation. The deaths will continue until they have the neighbourhood/area under their control by emptying out those who can no longer live there.

The Thai governments (past and present) have had no answer no matter which one was in power and like all previous governments, treat it like out of sight out of mind. They should read the Art of War, as obviously the insurgents have, and then apply the logic to resolve the issue, but no point any of us holding our breath.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

What!!! outrageous!!!!

How dare you try to take away Yingluck's toys!!

[sunshine51]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

A better way would be open up a couple of pork serving restaurants in the area with a couple of big American or Israeli flags outside and post the army snipers around them well hidden, will attract the terrorists like flies to cow dung...

And a squadron of these beauts on 10 minute TTT (time to target) airborne standby....

Can't run & hide from these babe's.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

A better way would be open up a couple of pork serving restaurants in the area with a couple of big American or Israeli flags outside and post the army snipers around them well hidden, will attract the terrorists like flies to cow dung...

And a squadron of these beauts on 10 minute TTT (time to target) airborne standby....

Can't run & hide from these babe's.

Would be the right weapon to use, problem is to find local pilots that can fly them, they lost 3 coppters during one week in keang Krachan last year and they were not as advanced as the apache to fly.

[OzMick]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

A better strategy with civic participation could have been implemented ages ago, but Thai politics only know brute force and negligence in the South. Southerners are treated by Thai politics not differently than stray-dogs in Thailand.

Well what do you expect - they don't vote PTP?

[ttelise]

Curious if this region experienced problems similar to those now present prior to Tak Bai incident. The commentator says those killed were just farmers or something another seeking a better life. I cannot help but thinking a crack down eradicating those responsible for bombings, killings and terrorist activities would evoke similar responses now or in a few years. Terrorists sometimes seem good at playing victim or having excuse for their actions.

Edit: My lazy butt looked this up. Looks like 600 killed by terrorists in region between January 4, 2004, and Tak Bai. Tak Bai individuals supplied weapons and etc. so perhaps not really as innocent as some would like us to believe then or now. Just makes for another good excuse to kill some more.

Edited October 22, 2012 by ttelise

[FarangTalk]

Is the new $90 Billion Airship not able to detect the insurgents?

[simple1]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

A better way would be open up a couple of pork serving restaurants in the area with a couple of big American or Israeli flags outside and post the army snipers around them well hidden, will attract the terrorists like flies to cow dung...

Unfortunately over the years the Thai Muslim "insurgents" in the Deep South have proven they are more street wise than the Thai military. As far as I am aware they have not spoken out against the US, nor it's support for Israel and have not associated the Arab/Israeli conflict with their cause.

Edited October 22, 2012 by simple1

[fxe1200]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

A better strategy with civic participation could have been implemented ages ago, but Thai politics only know brute force and negligence in the South. Southerners are treated by Thai politics not differently than stray-dogs in Thailand.

Well what do you expect - they don't vote PTP?

Even if they vote for no party at all, they do have human rights, the right to live to their own beliefs and keep their cultural identity. Why can Thai politics cannot not come up with a peaceful solution, starting with the conviction of those responsible for the massacre in Tak Bai? Or is this killing being covered by the Thai attitude of "Mai pen rai"?

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

Edited October 23, 2012 by fxe1200

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe it's time to start using helicopters for rescue missions? The Thai army is not having the upper hand here; a new strategy is urgently needed if they intend to stop the insurgency by force.

Are you kidding? The plastic G2000 is good enough. Besides... there may be a new model out... in aluminium with an added special feature to predict the outcome of a skirmish and call upon the powers of the God of Thunder himself...

A better way would be open up a couple of pork serving restaurants in the area with a couple of big American or Israeli flags outside and post the army snipers around them well hidden, will attract the terrorists like flies to cow dung...

Unfortunately over the years the Thai Muslim "insurgents" in the Deep South have proven they are more street wise than the Thai military. As far as I am aware they have not spoken out against the US, nor it's support for Israel and have not associated the Arab/Israeli conflict with their cause.

Never heard about a Muslin who like Isreal so far.

[simple1]

@HiSoLowSoNoSo: your words "Never heard about a Muslin who like Isreal so far." Bet you that most Thai Muslims in the Deep South wouldn't even know of the existence of Israel.

[sunshine51]

@HiSoLowSoNoSo...

"Would be the right weapon to use, problem is to find local pilots that can fly them, they

lost 3 coppters during one week in keang Krachan last year and they were not as

advanced as the apache to fly."

Well....here's an option.....

There'd be a bunch of outta work AH-64 jocks in the US & other NATO nations

about now and more to be unemployed in a couple years. Once you've flown these

you wouldn't really want to be a news helo pilot or take tourists on aerial tours of

Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Samui, or the Golden Triangle would you? Offer the expat

pilots a decent salary, free accommodation, F & B & P, relatively good flight

schedule...they'd be here faster than a Hellfire hits it's target. The government has

the money to buy em.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

@HiSoLowSoNoSo...

"Would be the right weapon to use, problem is to find local pilots that can fly them, they

lost 3 coppters during one week in keang Krachan last year and they were not as

advanced as the apache to fly."

Well....here's an option.....

There'd be a bunch of outta work AH-64 jocks in the US & other NATO nations

about now and more to be unemployed in a couple years. Once you've flown these

you wouldn't really want to be a news helo pilot or take tourists on aerial tours of

Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Samui, or the Golden Triangle would you? Offer the expat

pilots a decent salary, free accommodation, F & B & P, relatively good flight

schedule...they'd be here faster than a Hellfire hits it's target. The government has

the money to buy em.

Thought they spent all the money on the rice scam already!

In the Philippines they understood that they were not up to it themselves and let the American Special Forces in too help them on Jolo Island, but the Thai's are sooo obsessed with losing face so I doubt that they will ever let Farangs help them to get out of the mess that they now got in the south.

[Pimay1]

@HiSoLowSoNoSo...

"Would be the right weapon to use, problem is to find local pilots that can fly them, they

lost 3 coppters during one week in keang Krachan last year and they were not as

advanced as the apache to fly."

Well....here's an option.....

There'd be a bunch of outta work AH-64 jocks in the US & other NATO nations

about now and more to be unemployed in a couple years. Once you've flown these

you wouldn't really want to be a news helo pilot or take tourists on aerial tours of

Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Samui, or the Golden Triangle would you? Offer the expat

pilots a decent salary, free accommodation, F & B & P, relatively good flight

schedule...they'd be here faster than a Hellfire hits it's target. The government has

the money to buy em.

Thought they spent all the money on the rice scam already!

In the Philippines they understood that they were not up to it themselves and let the American Special Forces in too help them on Jolo Island, but the Thai's are sooo obsessed with losing face so I doubt that they will ever let Farangs help them to get out of the mess that they now got in the south.

Spot on. Last year people were dying every day in the floods. The US offered assistance from off shore aircraft carrier and other ships with everything needed. What did the Yingluck bunch say? "Nope we don't need your help we have it under control, get lost". And people continued to die. Saving face is much more important than saving lives.

[sunshine51]

@HiSoLowSoNoSo...

"Would be the right weapon to use, problem is to find local pilots that can fly them, they

lost 3 coppters during one week in keang Krachan last year and they were not as

advanced as the apache to fly."

Well....here's an option.....

There'd be a bunch of outta work AH-64 jocks in the US & other NATO nations

about now and more to be unemployed in a couple years. Once you've flown these

you wouldn't really want to be a news helo pilot or take tourists on aerial tours of

Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Samui, or the Golden Triangle would you? Offer the expat

pilots a decent salary, free accommodation, F & B & P, relatively good flight

schedule...they'd be here faster than a Hellfire hits it's target. The government has

the money to buy em.

Thought they spent all the money on the rice scam already!

In the Philippines they understood that they were not up to it themselves and let the American Special Forces in too help them on Jolo Island, but the Thai's are sooo obsessed with losing face so I doubt that they will ever let Farangs help them to get out of the mess that they now got in the south.

Spot on. Last year people were dying every day in the floods. The US offered assistance from off shore aircraft carrier and other ships with everything needed. What did the Yingluck bunch say? "Nope we don't need your help we have it under control, get lost". And people continued to die. Saving face is much more important than saving lives.

Too True Lads...Too True....

I was just trying to offer a viable option

to help the helpless and unemployed.