Bomb-making techniques getting better in Thai South

[webfact]

Bomb-making techniques getting better in South
Pakorn Puengnetr
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- WITH 2,889 bombing attacks in the deep South over the past decade, the authorities have noticed a change in the bomb-making techniques, which is believed to carried out by less than 40 individuals.

Bomb attacks claimed many lives last year, including those of six explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officials, including Pol Sub-Lieutenant Chaen Varongkapaisit, deputy chief of the Narathiwat EOD Unit. This has made many people wonder whether the insurgents' bomb-making skills had evolved and become better, resulting in the deaths of EOD officials and new armoured trucks being blown up.

Pol Colonel Kritapas Kreunetr, chief of the Anothai special force's EOD unit, said the first phase of the unrest in the South had seen bombs copied from those used by insurgents in other countries, hence the bombs had similar circuit panels, with a watch or cellphone being as a detonator. Then they evolved into combining more circuits together, possibly a result from a trial-and-error approach over the years. Plus, the new generation of bomb makers also had some knowledge in electronic circuitry.

"One of techniques discovered recently was the use of a cellphone to set the detonation time, instead of using it to detonate the bomb through a phone call. With the new technique, the cellphone no longer needs a SIM card, so the police cannot trace the phone back to the culprit," he said.

The highest amount of busting charge was recorded in a 90-kilogram two cooking-gas cylinder bomb attack against an armoured truck in Pattani's Panare district on September 10.

In the case of Pol Sub-Lieutenant Chaen and the other two bomb experts who were killed on October 28, Kritapas said it involved three bombs with a circuit set to detonate the three bombs at the same time with a "moving trap".

A similar bomb was used on an earlier attack at a roadside pavilion in Narathiwat's Tak Bai district, but was successfully defused, he said.

Previously, EOD officials worked on defusing bombs to use the remains in evidence to arrest suspects later, but since the deaths, they have started destroying the bombs instead.

"This new approach still leaves |us with evidence although it is |not intact and takes us longer to collect," he said, adding that officers' |safety was the biggest priority.

Field officials have also been using the LINE chat app to send photographs of bombs to brainstorm with colleagues to analyse and assess the situation for better safety, he added.

Kritapas said the bomb-makers also had their own signature, hence investigators believe that there are less than 40 of them in the region, adding that this group had also shrunk in number as state officials had made many arrests. He also emphasised that Thai EOD officials were as effective as those in other countries, and a recent co-training system saw a local team win a contest in the "Hook and Line" category of using material modification to defuse bombs. Thai officials are also considered experts in defusing motorcycle bombs - something EOD officials from other countries also want to learn.

-- The Nation 2014-01-07

[stoneyboy]

It's a shame the headline doesn't read Bomb detecting methods improving saving lives and carnage.

[canuckamuck]

The terrorists will be quite pleased with this review.

[Maggusoil]

It's a shame the headline doesn't read Bomb detecting methods improving saving lives and carnage.

Generally speaking though, those with the biggest backing, get the best tools.

You know where all these people get their money. From Big Oil. The sharia law mob in Arabia.

[Emster23]

"One of techniques discovered recently was the use of a cellphone to set the detonation time, instead of using it to detonate the bomb through a phone call. With the new technique, the cellphone no longer needs a SIM card, so the police cannot trace the phone back to the culprit,' Terrorist response: "Hey, good idea. Thanks for the tip". Jeez Louise....

[Jim walker]

This will be good reading for some

[how241]

"One of techniques discovered recently was the use of a cellphone to set the detonation time, instead of using it to detonate the bomb through a phone call. With the new technique, the cellphone no longer needs a SIM card, so the police cannot trace the phone back to the culprit,' Terrorist response: "Hey, good idea. Thanks for the tip". Jeez Louise....

+1....Sometimes TOO much info is not a good thing.

[Rimbuman]

"One of techniques discovered recently was the use of a cellphone to set the detonation time, instead of using it to detonate the bomb through a phone call. With the new technique, the cellphone no longer needs a SIM card, so the police cannot trace the phone back to the culprit,' Terrorist response: "Hey, good idea. Thanks for the tip". Jeez Louise....

Yeaah, now all of them gonna toss their lighters and fuses.

[tomross46]

There is no possibility of a mistake with EOD. If you make a mistake you die. These guys do not get paid enough for the work they do. The better the terrorist gets, the more work for EOD. If you see a person with an EOD badge, thank them.

Edited January 7, 2014 by tomross46

[Prbkk]

But Thailand has a good answer in the GT200, doesn't it? It sure cost a lot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT200

[Khun P]

Generally speaking though, those with the biggest backing, get the best tools.

You know where all these people get their money. From Big Oil. The sharia law mob in Arabia.

Saudi Arabia? Really? How do you know that?

[Maggusoil]

Generally speaking though, those with the biggest backing, get the best tools.

You know where all these people get their money. From Big Oil. The sharia law mob in Arabia.

Saudi Arabia? Really? How do you know that?

It may sound like a wild assertion however I used to work as a journalist, news director and so forth, and have kept abreast where possible of what I believe is quality information.

From the sources I tap, for example researchers from University etc, this is generally considered fairly common knowledge in current affairs.

Please feel free to follow up. Dispute it if you will.

[simple1]

Generally speaking though, those with the biggest backing, get the best tools.

You know where all these people get their money. From Big Oil. The sharia law mob in Arabia.

Saudi Arabia? Really? How do you know that?

Thailand's Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has allegedly identified approx 50 billion baht in cash transfers a year in the 2010/2012 period in the deep South provinces. They mention monies from normal commercial activities as well as monies from drug and other smuggling activities that fund the insurgency. I understand AMLO, have not specifically mentioned offshore funding, but probably occur.

The Thai government does permit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait governments to provide funding for two Islamic colleges in the deep South, in conjunction with the Islamic Development Bank.

[Prbkk]

Generally speaking though, those with the biggest backing, get the best tools.

You know where all these people get their money. From Big Oil. The sharia law mob in Arabia.

Saudi Arabia? Really? How do you know that?

Thailand's Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has allegedly identified approx 50 billion baht in cash transfers a year in the 2010/2012 period in the deep South provinces. They mention monies from normal commercial activities as well as monies from drug and other smuggling activities that fund the insurgency. I understand AMLO, have not specifically mentioned offshore funding, but probably occur.

The Thai government does permit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait governments to provide funding for two Islamic colleges in the deep South, in conjunction with the Islamic Development Bank.

That's a lot of money

and who takes responsibility for the purchase and continued use of the GT200 ( the voodoo science bomb detection device bought with taxpayer money)? The british 'inventor' is now serving 7 years for fraud but is it still being used by the army?