Cameras knocked out in latest attack: Thai South

[webfact]

FAR SOUTH
Cameras knocked out in latest attack
Parez Lohasan
The Nation


With a national flag draping over it, this coffin held the body of a soldier who was killed alongside seven other colleagues in Yala on Saturday. The Army arranged the transportation of their bodies from the Pattani Airport via a C130 aircraft.

Banner demands withdrawal of troops, as bodies of bomb victims flown out

NARATHIWAT: -- Unidentified saboteurs put burning tyres on 20 security cameras at 12 spots across Narathiwat in the deep South yesterday morning.

The sabotage was reported at about 4am.

"I have instructed local police to closely examine the security cameras in nearby areas to determine whether they could have recorded any suspect," Narathiwat police chief Maj General Wichai Kasemwong said.

He believed moves to knock out security cameras were staged to fan unrest in the South.

Thailand's southernmost region has been struggling with insurgency-related violence for nearly a decade.

On a road in Narathiwat's Ra-ngae district, a banner went up with a message demanding the withdrawal of troops from the area. The pull-out is a key demand put forward by the BRN in its peace dialogue with Thai authorities.

Despite the ongoing talks, violent incidents continue to take place on a daily basis.

On Saturday, an explosion erupted in Yala, ripping through a military truck and killing eight soldiers about to head back to their base in Nakhon Sawan after completing their time in the deep South.

The victims were Sergeant Major 1st Class Wiroj Khamruang, 51, Corporal Kromkrit Hetakarn, 27, Private Thirapong Duangsuwan, 23, Corporal Anon Pangsiri, 44, Private Thirapat Bannasarn, 23, Private Sakda Wongkham, 24, Private Pissanudej Hoysang, 24, and Private Sawang Namprai, 26.

Nearly 100 people including teachers and children expressed their grief when they showed up at Pattani Airport to bid farewell to the dead soldiers, whose base was close to a school.

The bodies of the soldiers were airlifted from Pattani to their home provinces.

In a related development, the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre and the Yala Buddhism Association have held a seminar to promote harmony in the southern border provinces.

Up to 220 religious leaders and community leaders in the provinces were present.

At the seminar, the participants expressed concern about signs that the violence would neither stop nor ease during the upcoming Ramadan.

The latest round of meetings between BRN representatives and Thai authorities had agreed in principle that the violence would halt during Ramadan.

However, BRN representatives later submitted several demands and a tight deadline in a way officials said made it unlikely for the government would agree.

Religious leaders in the South yesterday urged insurgents to refrain from any action against religious principles during Ramadan, and called on agencies to step up security measures.


-- The Nation 2013-07-01

[PoodMaiDai]

People died and the news headline is focused on the loss of cameras. Classy.

Another The Nation masterpiece.

Edited June 30, 2013 by PoodMaiDai

[fasteddie]

People died and the news headline is focused on the loss of cameras. Classy.

Another The Nation masterpiece.

The soldiers dying have previosly been reported, this article is about burnt cameras, simple really.

[mervyn yap]

The army should have used drones.They will be shot before they do the damage.

[belg]

corruption politicians and policemen should be forced to become a soldier in the south

[Neilly]

And they're talking about having a ceasefire during Ramadan which this going on

[EyesWideOpen]

I thought the last time cameras were burning in the south, a bizarre story came out that the contractor who put the cameras in had put in a lot of phony cameras, and burned a bunch of them to cover that up. Wonder if these are part of that, or are real burnings ?? God I love this place, always keeps you on your toes trying to discover the reality behind news stories...

[Travelman868]

A percentage of Muslims all over the world are killing and maiming innocent

people on a daily basis. They even kill each other then call themselves

martyrs.

I used to think that all this insurrection was to do with converting the

world to Islam, however recent events show it is nothing of the sort.

The Islamists kill because they like it, they do not care, men, women and

children are fair game.

Sunni's hate Shia's so they kill each other.

The other day in Syria 3 men asked a 14 year old boy for free coffee, the boy

laughed and joked not even the prophet would get it for free. These brave

"freedom fighters" dragged him into the middle of the road and shot him.

The reason they said, he had blasphemed.

Remember this boy when your Government gives aid to the "freedom fighters"

these are the people who will replace Assad.

Now I do have a problem in that I'm not sure if there is a God or Allah, what

I am sure of is that if there is an all powerful being why did he give

Muhammad a totally different set of ideals than Jesus gave.

It's also interesting that Muhammad said he was the last prophet. As he was

only chatting in a cave with Gabriel that seems to be a little presumptuous.

[tomross46]

If these cameras were monitored 24/7 than the operator could alert security forces, to be on alert when entering the area. There appears to be a communication problem between to organization monitoring the cameras, and the troops on the ground. It is about time the process problem be resolved, the cameras were put there to protect the people and catch the terrorist, not a show to make politicians rich.

Support the troops. It was the troops that supported the people during the flood, not the corrupt politicians.