Bangkok police to keep a close eye on teens from South in Ramkhamhaeng

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Close eye on teens from South in Ramkhamhaeng
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Police have stepped up measures to closely monitor teenagers from the South who are living in Bangkok's Ramkhamhaeng area after investigation indicated that southern insurgents might be behind the May 26 bomb attack.

A well-informed source from the Metropolitan Police Bureau said all police units in the capital had been ordered to coordinate efforts to monitor areas where students from Ramkhamhaeng University hang out, and check the background of teens hailing from the three southern border provinces.

Police have arrested Narathiwat man Id-ris Satapor, 24, who admitted that he was a lookout for the May 26 bomb attack on Ramkhamhaeng street stalls. He also admitted to collaborating with suspects Khamphi Lateh, Ibroheng Waemae and Harem Malee for the attack.

The source said the Metropolitan Police Bureau was seeking cooperation from the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre to hunt down the three suspects.

On Tuesday, national police chief Adul Saengsingkaew and other senior police officers denied that Id-ris was linked to southern insurgents.

However, the police source, who is on the investigation team, insisted yesterday that the probe showed Id-ris as an active insurgent who had come to Bangkok to extend the insurgency to the capital.

According to the source, Id-ris had travelled between Bangkok and the deep South quite frequently for several months before the bombing. The source said the suspect always rented a room opposite the university, and was there on May 26.

The source said investigators had told Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt-General Khamronwit Thupkrajang that Id-ris was found to be linked to a gun attack in Pattani's Sai Buri district in 2010 as well as the killing of Buddhist monks at Promprasit Temple in Pattani's Panare district in 2005.


-- The Nation 2013-06-20

[rkidlad]

Great idea! Segregate 'Thai' people because they're from 'the south'

Maybe in the future they'll be held in the same breath as the Cambodians and Burmese.

[A Member]

With all this monitoring and " close eye " starting they are going to need a surveillance unit the size of the North Korean army.

[A Member]

Great idea! Segregate 'Thai' people because they're from 'the south'

Maybe in the future they'll be held in the same breath as the Cambodians and Burmese.

Maybe they will start to treat them like the Hill Tribes people and issue special documentation and the need for permission to travel.

[OzMick]

When that bomb exploded there was all sorts of speculation about the reason. It seems the real reason is the one they don't want to mention

[lemonjelly]

Earlier statements issued by the police said the bomb used in Ramkanhaeng bore no resemblance to bombs used in the south. To my knowledge, the insurgents have not yet brought their fight to BKK, if they did, would they do it in a grander style, take the Lee Gardens bombing for example. Was Id-ris giving false confessions just to stop interrogation techniques?

Edited June 20, 2013 by lemonjelly

[NCFC]

If this is true then it is a very worrying development as whoever planted the bomb has no respect for human life.

[lemonjelly]

If this is true then it is a very worrying development as whoever planted the bomb has no respect for human life.

[55Jay]

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

[Halion]

Natural progression for the terrorists oups, sorry, insurgents to bring the battle up to Bangkok. Would then be very hard for the clown Chalerm to make statements that terrorism does not exist inThailand.

Bombs going of in Bangkok would really put a nail in the coffin of both the administration and the Tourist ministry.

However, there is little indication that any of the fragmented "insurgents" in the south have either the ability or acumen to do much damage but it would be a wake up call for the syncophantic leadership of this country and a burden on the Police force as they would have to actually do stuff without their expected kickbacks.

[rkidlad]

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

Press the 'quote' button next time.

Civil rights and IEDs - it really is that black and white, right?

Just do what George W. Bush did and 'smoke 'em out'

Was never a fan of Guevara. Was always quite partial to Chavez.

[cup-O-coffee]

I don't know. Some times I truly think that government really doesn't want to do anything about this sort of thing. After all, it isn't as if these villains are targeting the ones in power, is it? And I get the sense that government does not feel threatened by this; truly.

It is only the little people who are betting killed; ...no one important, ...just rabble. And since it is this way, and there is no direct and real threat to these powerful people and their investments, then is it really that bad for government to keep their distance?

Is it really worth the effort and time for any Thai official to do anything that could upset their illustrious careers; to rectify and sort out a bunch of lower class rabble with no gain worth value on the currency market? After all, what have these rabble done for the elite? Why spare a skin cell for any of these unimportant, insignificant creatures?

I realize how little the police and government react when one weeks worth of murder-death-kill among the lower class Thais triggers very little concern or excitement. I also read how much excitement is generated by similar behavior when it occurs among the elite. One would think the world will end with their indignant and angry reactions and the large proportion of media coverage and police action that is engaged.

So, until those villains cross the line and encroach upon that one thing, or things, which the elite hold sacred (and I doubt they ever will), I suspect that they will be able to "bomb away" and shoot to death the worthless rabble and poverty stricken to their hearts content; with little or no interference from those living in the safety of their mansions and villas up North, who count their money daily instead of their blessings.

[chainarong]

Great idea! Segregate 'Thai' people because they're from 'the south'

Maybe in the future they'll be held in the same breath as the Cambodians and Burmese.

Maybe they will start to treat them like the Hill Tribes people and issue special documentation and the need for permission to travel.

Now that's a good idea.

[khunken]

Great idea! Segregate 'Thai' people because they're from 'the south'

Maybe in the future they'll be held in the same breath as the Cambodians and Burmese.

Maybe they will start to treat them like the Hill Tribes people and issue special documentation and the need for permission to travel.

Now that's a good idea.

Not really.

If they treat them like non-Thais or non-ethnic-Thais then they are admitting that they are not citizens of Thailand which is what the separatists want and effectively excludes the area where they come from. That is a slippery slope.

[55Jay]

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

Press the 'quote' button next time.

Civil rights and IEDs - it really is that black and white, right?

Just do what George W. Bush did and 'smoke 'em out'

Was never a fan of Guevara. Was always quite partial to Chavez.

Clearly, the quote button was unnecessary.

No. Just that your leap from what this article said, to segregation, then racial / ethnic segregation, was rather bizarre.

George . LOL.

Chavez! Now there's a nice fellow. What did you like or admire about him? Bizarre conduct? Just kidding. Peace. Out.

[rkidlad]

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

Press the 'quote' button next time.

Civil rights and IEDs - it really is that black and white, right?

Just do what George W. Bush did and 'smoke 'em out'

Was never a fan of Guevara. Was always quite partial to Chavez.

Clearly, the quote button was unnecessary.

No. Just that your leap from what this article said, to segregation, then racial / ethnic segregation, was rather bizarre.

George . LOL.

Chavez! Now there's a nice fellow. What did you like or admire about him? Bizarre conduct? Just kidding. Peace. Out.

It was clear to me because I wrote it. I'm not the only one reading this thread.

Segregation: to keep one group of people apart from another and treat them differently, 'especially' because of race or sex - 'Especially', but not always.

You inferred the 'bizarre' racial/ethnic thing.

Peace out yourself.

Edited June 20, 2013 by rkidlad

[55Jay]

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

Press the 'quote' button next time.

Civil rights and IEDs - it really is that black and white, right?

Just do what George W. Bush did and 'smoke 'em out'

Was never a fan of Guevara. Was always quite partial to Chavez.

Clearly, the quote button was unnecessary.

No. Just that your leap from what this article said, to segregation, then racial / ethnic segregation, was rather bizarre.

George . LOL.

Chavez! Now there's a nice fellow. What did you like or admire about him? Bizarre conduct? Just kidding. Peace. Out.

It was clear to me because I wrote it. I'm not the only one reading this thread.

Segregation: to keep one group of people apart from another and treat them differently, 'especially' because of race or sex - 'Especially', but not always.

You inferred the 'bizarre' racial/ethnic thing.

Peace out yourself.

Thank you. Apart being the operative word, so the rest of the definition for this context is mute, along with whatever ref you made to Cambodians and Burmese.

Seems a big leap to call police "keeping an eye on" southern uni students, segregation. Maybe profiling which, unpopular as it may be to say, in this case, not at all unreasonable.

[lee b]

you cant blame people from the south !! Come on

[55Jay]

No, I get that, and fully agree, in normal circumstances, which is not what we have at present.

I obviously have a different perspective on what "keeping an eye" on some folks means, but each to his own.

[rkidlad]

It was clear to me because I wrote it. I'm not the only one reading this thread.

Press the 'quote' button next time.

^ Segregating people from the south? Isn't that the aim of the insurgency?

As long as their civil rights aren't unfairly infringed upon, I guess a few IEDs in BKK is fair play then, right?

By chance, do you own a Che Guevarra t-shirt?

Civil rights and IEDs - it really is that black and white, right?

Just do what George W. Bush did and 'smoke 'em out'

Was never a fan of Guevara. Was always quite partial to Chavez.

Clearly, the quote button was unnecessary.

No. Just that your leap from what this article said, to segregation, then racial / ethnic segregation, was rather bizarre.

George . LOL.

Chavez! Now there's a nice fellow. What did you like or admire about him? Bizarre conduct? Just kidding. Peace. Out.

Segregation: to keep one group of people apart from another and treat them differently, 'especially' because of race or sex - 'Especially', but not always.

You inferred the 'bizarre' racial/ethnic thing.

Peace out yourself.

Thank you. Apart being the operative word, so the rest of the definition for this context is mute, along with whatever ref you made to Cambodians and Burmese.

Seems a big leap to call police "keeping an eye on" southern uni students, segregation. Maybe profiling which, unpopular as it may be to say, in this case, not at all unreasonable.

Oh, where do I start?

The group of people I was referring to are 'Thai people from the south'. Not every Thai person from the south is Muslim. A lot are Buddhist, some Christians and maybe even some agnostic. Dare I even say there's an atheist knocking about down there. Nothing to do with religion or race. It's down to the fact that they're from 'the south'.

Your point about being kept 'apart' may have had some validity if you hadn't so stupidly referred to the latter part of the definition as 'mute'. I can only assume you meant 'moot' as in 'it's a moot point'. (It was a typo, guv'nor)

Maybe you meant 'moo' like a cow's opinion. A cow's opinion doesn't matter.

Profiling people from 'the south'? That will go down like pork at a bar mitzvah. (That's not me insinuating anything to do with race or religion) Neither does the cow reference. I don't want to offend any Hindus.

Also - my point about Cambodians and Burmese had nothing to do with religion. Any Thais who dislike Cambodians and/or Burmese probably do so because of where they're from. Not because they're Buddhist or whatever religion. That's the stupid thing about disliking people because they come from a certain area. Hence my statement.

[55Jay]

Thank you for the partial admission that your word, segregation, may not of been the best choice.

My point was if segregation is being sought by anyone, that would be the insurgents, ergo, "separatist movement". Who's right in all this, I have my own thoughts on, but that's another can of worms.

Scanned TN today first, for any retractions or outrage at the BiB's statement of keeping an eye on southern students from a particular university, in a particular area of town where they apparently hang out.

None yet.

BiB has managed to catch the primary bomber and a couple others in the past 3 weeks, and the political interference on what is now a "vendor dispute bombing" (LOL) makes your head spin. However, seems our young, southern gentleman bomber was rolling over like an empty soda can, so maybe, just maybe, the BiB is on to something with the Ramkhamhaeng University link. Long as they don't start tossing kids in jail indiscriminately based on geography, they get to check things out a bit more which is, after all, part of their alleged job description.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I can't think of any good reason for BKK police to be making up false stories about southern insurgents being responsible for the Ramkamhaeng bombing... if in fact that wasn't where their investigation was leading them.

On the other hand, I can think of lots of reasons for the central government to make up FALSE stories designed to make the public believe the bombing didn't have any connection to the Southern insurgency. After all, they're down there now trying to make peace, and at the same time telling the Thai public that they have the situation under control. Well, down there and up here, clearly they don't, and haven't for a long time.

But I will agree it's a curious unknown... blowing up some streetfront shops in Ramkamhaeng is hardly any way to make an impactful political statement. If there really was a political motivation to the bombing, it's hard to figure why it was done there -- unless it was an accidental or premature detonation -- similar to what happened with the Iranians a while back at their house in BKK.