Security tightened in Songkhla on Tak Bai incident anniversary

[Lite Beer]

Security tightened in Songkhla on Tak Bai incident anniversary
By Digital Content

SONGKHLA, Oct 25 -- Combined government forces on Saturday tightened security in the southern province of Songkhla, near the Thai-Malaysian border, as today marks the 10th anniversary of the Tak Bai incident, in order to prevent any possible attacks.

In order to prevent any possible insurgency attacks in Songkhla, government forces comprising policemen, soldiers and defence volunteers set up checkpoints in four districts bordering the three violence-plagued provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

More checkpoints were also established in the key business district of Hat Yai and in Sadao district bordering Malaysia.

Suspicious vehicles are being searched thoroughly, while combined government forces also patrolled along inner roads in those districts to ensure that no untoward incidents occurred.

At Tak Bai district in Narathiwat on October 25, 2004, hundreds of men were arrested while protesting the arrest of six local men. The detained protesters were handcuffed and piled into trucks destined for arrival at an army camp in nearby Pattani province. Upon arrival at the camp, at least 78 were found to have died from suffocation. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-10-25

[lemonjelly]

Maybe time to punish the officer in charge who was responsible for the fatalities on that day.

[love1012]

Maybe time to punish the officer in charge who was responsible for the fatalities on that day.

Hes in Dubai!!! He was accused of corruption and removed as Prime Minister!!! Do you remember he told the world - "no no i not do - them muslim and fasting i not do evrything!!"

[neverdie]

Maybe time to punish the officer in charge who was responsible for the fatalities on that day.

Hes in Dubai!!! He was accused of corruption and removed as Prime Minister!!! Do you remember he told the world - "no no i not do - them muslim and fasting i not do evrything!!"

Yes, pity he isn't being held to account by Muslims for his crimes against Muslims.

[Lite Beer]

Students demand justice 10 years after Thai protest killings

NARATHIWAT: -- Dozens of students rallied at a mosque in southern Thailand Saturday to demand justice for the deaths of 85 protesters a decade ago, a tragedy rights groups say is fuelling a violent insurgency.

The anti-government protest on October 25, 2004 in Tak Bai town in Narathiwat province was one of the bloodiest days in a conflict that has left 6,100 people dead in Thailand's Muslim-majority south.

Seven people were shot dead as security forces broke up the scene, while 78 protesters were suffocated or crushed to death after being stacked on top of each other in army trucks bound for neighbouring Pattani province, their hands bound.

No one from the security forces has faced charges over the deaths.

Around 100 Muslim students gathered peacefully inside the courtyard of a mosque in Pattani on Saturday, raising placards asking for justice as well as singing songs and reciting poems and prayers.

They were planning to stage a flash mob in the streets outside but were warned against a public protest by army officers, said an AFP correspondent at the scene.

Thailand's military imposed a nationwide ban on political gatherings of more than five people two days before staging a coup in May -- but the southern provinces bordering Malaysia have been smothered by emergency powers curtailing civil liberties for a decade.

"We want to know why they were transported in that way... Tak Bai victims still haven't received justice," said Chalida Tajaroensuk, director of the People's Empowerment Foundation which organised a seminar about the killings earlier Saturday.

Human Rights Watch also demanded justice for the victims, questioning why no one had been prosecuted even after a government-appointed committee at the time concluded inappropriate methods were used to break up the rally and transport protesters.

"Thailand’s failure to prosecute security personnel responsible for the Tak Bai killings is a glaring injustice that brings the police, military, and courts into disrepute," said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director, adding this had "fuelled conditions for the insurgency".

The lush, forested deep south was an ethnic Malay sultanate until Buddhist Thailand annexed it a century ago, and separatist unrest has simmered ever since.

Thai security forces stand accused of widespread human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, abuses and extra-judicial killings.

Meanwhile the rebels conduct near-daily ambushes or bomb attacks on security forces and terrorise civilians -- both Buddhist and Muslim -- with assassinations and arson attacks.

Several rounds of peace discussions floundered last year amid political chaos in Bangkok but Thailand's junta chief and new premier has said he is ready to restart negotiations.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-10-25

[bkkgooner]

78 people stacked on top of each other with their hands bound, that is just so <deleted> up it is unreal and no one held accountable, what in <deleted>?

How much worldwide media attention did the incident receive? Because I didn't hear a thing about it until I moved to Thailand in 2007.

[Bluespunk]

"Security tightened in Songkhla on Tak Bai incident anniversary"

84 people dead isn't an incident.

It's an atrocity.

[ksamuiguy]

Just a thought, We have an excess of dogs here in Thailand,right?

Why don't they train dogs to sniff out explosives and drugs at check points and just checking in general.

It should be easy to have the dogs trained as explosive and drug sniffing dogs. Compensate the officer for the dog/partner care.

Sure would be a good PR tool for the BIB. People would tend trust a officer with a dog, No, not a Attack dog, these dogs are genital and friendly. Sure would make security either in a crowd or club easier than guessing, usuall by looks, the dog doesn't care who or what it is they are trained to react.

Just a thought!