Death toll of Thai South security officials doubles in 2013

[webfact]

Death toll of South security officials doubles in 2013
PAKORN PUENGNETR
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- POLICE AND military casualties from the southern unrest more than doubled to 129 last year from 60 a year earlier, despite the series of peace talks with insurgents and the Ramadan truce, according to a police report.

Of the 267 deaths of officials and civilians due to separatist violence in 2013, 36 were police; 93 were soldiers, rangers and marines; 132 were civilians; five were teachers and one was a monk, said the report by the Police Operational Centre in the Southern Provinces.

Rising toll among militants too

On the other side, 51 militants were killed, which was more than the previous year's unspecified figure due to an increase in raids and blockades to 45 occasions, which saw 18 of them killed after firefights.

In 2012, the death toll was 21 police, 39 military personnel and 223 civilians, with no details about other people, according to the centre.

There were 1,539 incidents as of December 23, up from 1,465. They were broken down into 514 shootings, 87 arson attacks, three brutal murders, eight assaults, 24 ambushes, 714 disturbances of the peace and one protest.

Injuries were inflicted on 70 police officers, 352 military personnel, 265 civilians and eight teachers, for a total of 695 cases.

Out of 513 security warrants, 562 suspects were arrested.

Yesterday, fake bombs were planted at two locations in Yala's Muang district, likely by insurgents intent on causing a commotion.

Police blocked off a main road to keep people away while they tried to identify the objects. They shot rifles at them, only to find that they were tin cans filled with gravel.

At one location, sheets of paper with "Pattani Merdeka" (Independence to Pattani) written on them were lying on the ground nearby.

-- The Nation 2014-01-02

[ChrisY1]

Again..staggering statistics.....it's almost like a game of who can kill the most, with the result achieving nothing at all.

Have to feel for the families and friends of those killed and injured....but in the past 2 years +, nothing positive has evolved at all....a sad state of affairs indeed.

Any wonder that the security forces are reluctant to go to the area....make an balls-up in your work and you get sent to the south!

[noitom]

Thai south terrorism mysteriously escapes global news.

[Yunla]

My prayers are with all the families who have lost loved ones, and all those wounded in this tragic situation.

And for whoever emerges as leader in Thailand 2014 to prioritise 'peace in the south' at the top of the political agenda (with all sensible options on the table), alongside nationwide infrastructure reforms, and to start working towards a distant corruption nullpoint too.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Yunla

[darren84310]

My prayers are with all the families who have lost loved ones, and all those wounded in this tragic situation.

And for whoever emerges as leader in Thailand 2014 to prioritise 'peace in the south' at the top of the political agenda (with all sensible options on the table), alongside nationwide infrastructure reforms, and to start working towards a distant corruption nullpoint too.

by "whoever" are you including the Thaksin family in that?.... I'd love to know.

[sunshine51]

Thai south terrorism mysteriously escapes global news.

No...it doesn't....the December bombings surely didn't...

I worked that story...just one of many I have covered

in "The South".

Edited January 2, 2014 by sunshine51

[FireMedic]

You guys forget, this is a religion of peace.....this is all one big misunderstanding.

[Ulic]

Nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the south being marginalized and treated like second class

citizens. Thaksin is responsible for stoking the fires here and a comprehensive plan should be made to

bring the southern provinces back into the fold. Probably the most important thing to do is put people from

the troubled provinces in charge of the government agencies there. Don't parachute them in as patronage

appointments from Bangkok. End the the rice subsidy which benefits the north unless you are going to do the

same for rubber farmers in the south. However doing that would apparently line Sutheps pockets as I have

read he and his family are sitting on a huge amount of rubber and waiting for a better price from the government.

Not sure if that is true?

[simple1]

Nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the south being marginalized and treated like second class citizens. Thaksin is responsible for stoking the fires here and a comprehensive plan should be made to bring the southern provinces back into the fold. Probably the most important thing to do is put people from the troubled provinces in charge of the government agencies there. Don't parachute them in as patronage

appointments from Bangkok. End the the rice subsidy which benefits the north unless you are going to do the same for rubber farmers in the south. However doing that would apparently line Sutheps pockets as I have read he and his family are sitting on a huge amount of rubber and waiting for a better price from the government.

Not sure if that is true?

In my opinion your comments on religion were originally true, but from my reading there has been an increase in the Islamic radical elements influencing some of the armed militants groups. From reading other opinions/reporting the local Thai Muslim/Buddhist population are tired of the disruptions & constant threats from from all 'actors' in the region.

There is constant critism that Thai security forces use static checkpoints, are under equipped and are not fluid enough. However, it was recently announced that Thai army forces are now going to send additional Thai Rangers for hunter/killer operations, in areas favoured by the armed militants & gangs as base areas. Unless it is deliberate misinformation, why they would make public announcements for deployments is beyond me.

Currently it looks as though it going to carry on for years as there is no apparent change of position by any of the parties. As you and others have indicated 'follow the money'.