Toddler Among Six Dead In Thai South Shooting: Official

[webfact]

Toddler among six dead in Thai south shooting: official

PATTANI, Thailand, May 2, 2013 (AFP) - A three-year-old boy was among six people shot dead when gunmen opened fire on a village grocery shop in Thailand's restive south, a Thai security official said Thursday, vowing tentative peace talks would continue.

Four men dressed in similar uniforms to the Thai security forces sprayed bullets at a group of villagers gathered outside a local shop in Pattani province on Wednesday evening, said National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut.

"I deplore this act of brutality against civilians including children," he told AFP, adding one person had also been wounded in the attack.

He said the group responsible for Wednesday's attack did not identify itself, but left a note saying the shooting was in revenge for the deaths of some of its members.

More than 5,500 people have been killed in near-daily bombings and shootings in three Muslim-majority provinces near Thailand's southern border with Malaysia since 2004.

Buddhist and Muslims alike fall victim to the shadowy militants, who target security forces, civilians and perceived representatives of state authority such as teachers.

Thailand held its first official peace talks with representatives of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) in Malaysia in March and another round in April, but deadly attacks have continued.

Paradorn, who is Thailand's chief negotiator with the rebels, said meetings would go on, with more talks scheduled for June 13.

Leaflets apparently from a group linked to the BRN were also circulated in mosques, markets and tea shops in neighbouring Yala province early Thursday pledging to continue murderous assaults on civilian targets.

"Six dead bodies in Pattani is a lesson for Thais to remember that we will kill everyone, including women and children. We will fight for our great BRN movement and force Thais to accept our demands," said the leaflet.

Rebels involved in the talks on Sunday said they wanted "liberation" from Thailand.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-05-02

[lee b]

absolute shocking !

[EyesWideOpen]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

[chainarong]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

Please read the news release again my friend, Four men dressed in similar uniforms!!!!!

[Bellweather]

The international news agencies are still on about Boston and CNN has a " special " almost everyday but no mention of tragedies like this other than locally and Channel New Asia

[EyesWideOpen]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

Please read the news release again my friend, Four men dressed in similar uniforms!!!!!

What is the implication ?? That rebels stole military uniforms, put them on, and then went to go shoot people ??

[MikeOboe57]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

Please read the news release again my friend, Four men dressed in similar uniforms!!!!!

What is the implication ?? That rebels stole military uniforms, put them on, and then went to go shoot people ??

Seems plausible to me. And you don't have to "steal" military uniforms. there are lots of shops selling military style clothing.

And by using these uniforms the terrorists also undermine the people's trust in security forces. You now have to think twice whether they are genuine or killers in disguise.

[webfact]

Six civilians killed in brutal attack in Thailand’s South
By English News



PATTANI, May 2 – Six people including a three-year-old boy were shot dead in an attack at a grocery store in this Muslim-predominant province in Thailand’s far South last night.

Police said the assailants opened fire into the one-storey shop in Ban Koke Muang, Rusamilae subdistrict, killing six men and seriously wounding another resident in the neighbourhood.

Leaflets which read “This is revenge for the innocents” were found at the scene together with many bullet casings.

Grocery owner Samarn Hiangma, 37, and his son, Chakarin, were killed instantly. The four other victims were identified as Kosolpan Nidnoisueb, 56, Somporn Payonrat, 45, Vichien Chalermjit-uthai and Maruding Karim, a driver of the Pattani electricity bureau.

Adul Daokaew, 40, who was seriously wounded from bullet shots was rushed to Pattani provincial hospital.

Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that four heavily-armed men in black outfits fired into the shop, immediately killing three people.

The attackers left their motorcycles and walked closer to the shop to shoot at three more persons. They fired several shots into the sky before fleeing on their motorcycles.

Another group of militants scattered crooked nails on Route 42, damaging the tyres of 12 cars.

Police immediately sealed off roads in a 500-metre radius to search for the assailants.

The brutal attack occurred just three days after a fresh round of peace talks was held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur during which the Thai security authorities called on southern insurgents attending the meeting to stop violence and attacks on state officials and civilians in Thailand’s southern border provinces. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-05-02

[Thai at Heart]

What the hell is going on down there? Randomly shooting members of the public? This is getting worse and worse by the day.

[doctorproc156]

“This is revenge for the innocents”

These are not people, the BRN and all the pattani movements are monsters. Killing innocents to avenge the death of other innocents.

[chainarong]

The international news agencies are still on about Boston and CNN has a " special " almost everyday but no mention of tragedies like this other than locally and Channel New Asia

A few years back the BBC had a documentary , called the "Forgotten War" the craze then was, cutting heads off early morning rubber tappers and leaving a note on their chest. , a lot of tit for tat at that time too

[hellodolly]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

Please read the news release again my friend, Four men dressed in similar uniforms!!!!!

What is the implication ?? That rebels stole military uniforms, put them on, and then went to go shoot people ??

Get a dictionary and look up the word similar.

Here is an example

Because a lime is similar to a lemon does it make it a lemon?

[chainarong]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

Please read the news release again my friend, Four men dressed in similar uniforms!!!!!

What is the implication ?? That rebels stole military uniforms, put them on, and then went to go shoot people ??

You implied they were Thai security ,words fail me too, it's not hard to appear like a commando, fake uniforms can be brought at the night markets.

[hellodolly]

“This is revenge for the innocents”

These are not people, the BRN and all the pattani movements are monsters. Killing innocents to avenge the death of other innocents.

They killed the innocents to avenge the deaths of other people just like them. Not innocents.

[Credo]

It seems that a lot of people can't believe that members of the security forces are capable of revenge killings.

You should remember that there are a lot of government sponsored groups and militias that operate in the area.

[EyesWideOpen]

Since leaflets were distributed claiming responsibility for the attack by rebels, it seems now the conflict has entered a new stage of using false flag tactics. Dress as soldiers and then kill innocents. If the goal of terrorism is to instill terror, a tactic like this one would certainly make the people there afraid of everybody.....

[canuckamuck]

I can't imagine this much terrorism occurring in many other nations without the public coming completely unglued and demanding action.

But I don't think Thais from the other provinces are even bothered by this. The only thing they ever get excited about is Thaksin, whether they are for or against him.

[Credo]

Some of the gov't sponsored militia groups are loose cannons with little oversight. Do you think when soldiers, police, and fellow militia members are killed that they don't take revenge?

[DLock]

This was tragic 5,499 murders ago.

Why does anyone expect anything different or for the killing to stop, when no one is doing anything meaningful to stop this.

The world is numb and bored with this story. Thailand has no clue nor the people to handle this and the terrorists know this and must resort to bigger and more brutal killings for attention.

With Yingluck now saying she will handle it personally, do you really think things will get better...or worse?

It will only get worse.

[simple1]

Some of the gov't sponsored militia groups are loose cannons with little oversight. Do you think when soldiers, police, and fellow militia members are killed that they don't take revenge?

It is interesting to note in BKK Post today said the killings were within 200 metres of a checkpoint manned by security forces. The four killers entered the premises to ensure kills with head shots, then departed; none of which is mentioned in The Nation's article. It appears no action was taken by the people manning the checkpoint. Sounds very much like a Thai forces death squad hit.

[JetsetBkk]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

I think you need to change your nick-name.

[OnTheRun]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

I think you need to change your nick-name.

Just what I was thinking

[EyesWideOpen]

Wow..... First the people living in the south have to worry about being blown up by rebels. And now they have to worry about being shot up by Thai security forces ?? Words fail me.

I think you need to change your nick-name.

Just what I was thinking

Hahaha not so fast.... :-) It does seem odd that they would spray bullets at the front of the building, then take the time to go inside and head shot each of the people inside.. Especially with a military checkpoint 200 meters away.

[Rimmer]

A post advocating mass genocide has been removed also a quoted reply.

[Credo]

I am pretty sure this is rogue gov't forces. The insurgents have been scoring some impressive victories and have shown a great deal of sophistication in the past while.

The insurgents have killed and maimed a lot of soldiers, police and officials. It's payback time.

I have a feeling they won't catch the perpetrators.

[johnlandy]

absolute shocking !

Agreed BUT it will never be resolved by clowns like Chalerm "who has made only one visit (after he was pushed) to the troubled area.

There is no hope in he!! of the issue being put to bed with the 'inmates (Chalerm and his cohorts) running the asylum'

[surangw]

The international news agencies are still on about Boston and CNN has a " special " almost everyday but no mention of tragedies like this other than locally and Channel New Asia

thailand may loose face if its in the western news ( or scare away tourists)

[seajae]

its time to put a bounty on the heads of these terrorists, letting them kill at random is over the top. Let the people start shooting back and pay them for their bodies, maybe then the soldiers and police will get involved in returning fire as well.

[hellodolly]

Some of the gov't sponsored militia groups are loose cannons with little oversight. Do you think when soldiers, police, and fellow militia members are killed that they don't take revenge?

Revenge is not killing innocent people that is terrorism and it takes a sick mind to sanction it.

[hellodolly]

The international news agencies are still on about Boston and CNN has a " special " almost everyday but no mention of tragedies like this other than locally and Channel New Asia

thailand may loose face if its in the western news ( or scare away tourists)

I wasn't aware that there was a tourist industry in the three southern provinces.