Thai barracks shooting raises soldier stress issue

[webfact]

Thai barracks shooting raises soldier stress issue

Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's army chief has warned under-pressure troops deployed in Thailand's insurgency-stricken south need to be better supported, an army spokesman said Friday, after a conscript shot dead four officers before turning the gun on himself.

Ten years of war have left more than 6,200 people dead -- the majority civilians -- in Thailand's Muslim-Majority southern provinces, according to conflict analysts Deep South Watch.

The estimated 60,000 security forces blanketing the area face near-daily roadside bomb attacks and ambushes from shadowy rebel groups who melt away into remote communities broadly opposed to rule by Thailand, which colonised the region more than a century ago.

A 21-year-old conscript from northeastern Thailand opened fire with an automatic rifle on Thursday in a barracks in the Nong Chik district of Pattani province, killing three low-ranking officers immediately, a spokesman for the southern region army told AFP.

Another wounded soldier died overnight, while the gunman remains in a coma in hospital after shooting himself.

"It's likely he suffering from stress and a personal problem," Colonel Pramote Promin said, adding the conscript had only been deployed in the south for a month.

The killings prompted new army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr to order unit commanders to closely monitor the behaviour of the rank-and-file who work under tough conditions in the violence-wracked region, according to a second army spokesman.

"The incident happened because soldiers have to work under special circumstances," Colonel Winthai Suvaree told AFP, adding the spark may have been an argument with an officer.

"The army chief has told unit leaders to be closer to their staff and observe their behaviour".

Local media also reported General Udomedej deployed psychiatrists to the south after the killing.

While they are frequently the target of attacks, Thai security forces also stand accused of widespread human rights abuses of the culturally distinct predominatly Muslim population.

Those include killings of civilians in raids on suspected militant hideouts.

Thailand's ruling junta says it is ready for a new round of peace talks with several main rebel groups.

But observers question whether a military-led government is best placed to craft peace in a region where mistrust of the army runs deep.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-11-07

[JOC]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

[toybits]

"The estimated 60,000 security forces blanketing the area face near-daily roadside bomb attacks and ambushes from shadowy rebel groups who melt away into remote communities broadly opposed to rule by Thailand, which colonised the region more than a century ago."

AH! AFP was the source of the news. Had it been one of the local news networks, that would have been a first to admitting that the southern provinces were "colonised" (sic) (annexed is a more appropriate word or perhaps that was intended because those people in the south have been given a real behind job ha ha).

Edited November 7, 2014 by toybits

[gerry123]

oh dear not the old shell shock dilemma again i err toward the previous poster JOC opinion

i have been in the serving services all it did for me was teach me how to wash my socks and go ashore and get legless

hip hip hooray anchors away boys (HIC)

[darrendsd]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

Idiotic reply from someone who obviously has no idea of the continual daily problems in the region where this happened.

[evadgib]

[ChrisY1]

This kind of behavour amongst the ranks, is most likely totally alien to the Thai commanders.........they're fighting a mini war that is litterally unwinnable.......they're trying to keep peace and order within a community where the enemy is living.....

It's a tragic situation with a no win solution!

[uel1968]

Correct me if im wrong,is it 3 or 4 that died?

[uel1968]

So 3 or 4 dead then?

[emilymat]

So 3 or 4 dead then?

3 "low ranking officers' and another soldier - rank unspecified.

It seems to me they have their own 'mini' Vietnam down there. Unwinnable, as a previous poster stated.

[Sviss Geez]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

Idiotic reply from someone who obviously has no idea of the continual daily problems in the region where this happened.

Well said, he should be wearing a clown's outfit if he isn't already.

[Sviss Geez]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Correct me if im wrong,is it 3 or 4 that died?

So 3 or 4 dead then?

If you read the OP you wouldn't have to ask.

[JOC]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

Idiotic reply from someone who obviously has no idea of the continual daily problems in the region where this happened.

Three troops killed, five other injured in Pattani following dispute while drinking

[darrendsd]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

Idiotic reply from someone who obviously has no idea of the continual daily problems in the region where this happened.

Three troops killed, five other injured in Pattani following dispute while drinking

You should read the full OP.

[lust]

Can someone give me a condensed version of the conflict on the Malaysia border? I understand it's a dispute of who owns what, but why does it seem that these provinces seem to have been abandoned and set aside?

[jaltsc]

"It's likely he suffering from stress and a personal problem..."

Imagine how stressed he would be if he were an innocent Burmese day laborer and anybody got shot within 100 kilometers from where he was working .

[JOC]

Stress!! The new name for drunk!!

Idiotic reply from someone who obviously has no idea of the continual daily problems in the region where this happened.

Three troops killed, five other injured in Pattani following dispute while drinking

You should read the full OP.

I did, but it doesn't change my point of view!

Incidents like this happen on a almost weekly basis all over Thailand, mostly with police or army involved, and almost all the time fueled by the dangerous cocktail: Percieved loss of face and Alcohol.

So next time it happens (and it will) in Surin, Khon Kaen, Cha Am or Chiang Mai, will you also blame that on "war-stress"??

[kuiburi]

It sucks to be a soldier in a war where u not know who the enemy is . We have a cousin thats with the special forces and his wife is a teacher ( how many teachers got killed ) , they life in Naratiwat .

He got ambushed a couple of times and lost a couple of his mates , guess it would become stressfull for most of us .

Hide ur emotions for ur mates , don't cry , keep it all for urself and one day alcohol releases all ur emotions at ones .

Guess I am getting old , I prefer to shed a tear with a mate if I need to .

[gk10002000]

Sadly this has all the marking of a guerilla war. Many similarities to what the US troops endured in the Vietnam war or other nations have endured in Iraq or Afghanistan and many other countries around the worl. Just walking around, getting shot at, running into booby traps, not being able to see the opposition or fight back directly. It wears greatly on the mind and psyche.

[gk10002000]

Can someone give me a condensed version of the conflict on the Malaysia border? I understand it's a dispute of who owns what, but why does it seem that these provinces seem to have been abandoned and set aside?

It is not just a border and land and power issue. Coincidentally or not, Muslims are involved.

[MobileContent]

I smell that the guy shot those other soldiers because they might have abused him or looked down on him.

I have a friend who serves in the Thai Navy and his back is full of scares and during the first 3 months he was tortured.

Thailand is divided between the North and the South. The army sends Southern soldiers to Isaan as they don't trust Isaan soldiers in the Northeast and Isaan soldiers are send to the South.

Isaan people hate to deal with the Southern Thai's and going even to the deep South to be deployed is the last on their minds.

Their should be no alcohol at any of those barracks in the Deep South.

Looking at Thailand I wonder what will happened over the next 10 years.

You have the North and Northeast that have a dislike for Bangkok and on top 3 Southern provinces that have been at war with Bangkok.

[JAG]

Fighting such a Counter Insurgency War is not easy.To be effective it requires well trained soldiers, effective leadership at junior level (junior NCOs,platoon and company commanders) and professionalism and constant attention to the aim by senior commanders. It also requires effective intelligence, and the skills to interpret that intelligence. Thailand has a large army, no shortage of conscripts (and plenty of Generals!). However from what little I have seen, it seems to lack the qualities and skills which I have listed.

A good Company Commander, Company Serjeant Major, a good Platoon Commander, Platoon Serjeant and section Corporal would have ensured that this young conscript, a month into his tour, would never have ended up "stressed" enough to run amok with his rifle.As is so often the case, it boils down to good leadership, or a lack of it.

Edited November 7, 2014 by JAG

[Farang99]

This kind of behavour amongst the ranks, is most likely totally alien to the Thai commanders.........they're fighting a mini war that is litterally unwinnable.......they're trying to keep peace and order within a community where the enemy is living.....

It's a tragic situation with a no win solution!

There is a simple solution - hand the three strong Muslim states over to Malaysia, where they should have been were it not for 19th century politicking. Unfortunately, this is politically unacceptable.

[simple1]

Can someone give me a condensed version of the conflict on the Malaysia border? I understand it's a dispute of who owns what, but why does it seem that these provinces seem to have been abandoned and set aside?

http://www.defence.gov.au/adc/docs/Publications2012/SheddenPapers12_120306_ConflictinThailand_Nurakkate.pdf

[Docno]

"The estimated 60,000 security forces blanketing the area face near-daily roadside bomb attacks and ambushes from shadowy rebel groups who melt away into remote communities broadly opposed to rule by Thailand, which colonised the region more than a century ago."

AH! AFP was the source of the news. Had it been one of the local news networks, that would have been a first to admitting that the southern provinces were "colonised" (sic) (annexed is a more appropriate word or perhaps that was intended because those people in the south have been given a real behind job ha ha).

It's also a little inaccurate. Pattani was annexed by Thailand more than 200 hundred years ago (and before that, it was a tributary of Siam). Since that time, the US has 'annexed' the Hawaiian Islands and the UK has 'annexed' the Falkland Islands (and you don't have to go much further back to get into Northern Ireland, etc.).

[Ws93]

I really hope I don't get conscripted

This sounds awful! I hope university can stop the military from making me join.

[mitsubishi]

I smell that the guy shot those other soldiers because they might have abused him or looked down on him.

I have a friend who serves in the Thai Navy and his back is full of scares and during the first 3 months he was tortured.

Thailand is divided between the North and the South. The army sends Southern soldiers to Isaan as they don't trust Isaan soldiers in the Northeast and Isaan soldiers are send to the South.

Isaan people hate to deal with the Southern Thai's and going even to the deep South to be deployed is the last on their minds.

Their should be no alcohol at any of those barracks in the Deep South.

Looking at Thailand I wonder what will happened over the next 10 years.

You have the North and Northeast that have a dislike for Bangkok and on top 3 Southern provinces that have been at war with Bangkok.

No alcohol would mean they'd just brew up hooch and fire-water. A two-can or two-bottle rule would be wiser. That's how we had it over in the Balkans while on ops.