Guns given to deep south residents for self-defence: Thai Army

[webfact]

Guns given to deep south residents for self-defence: Army
By Digital Content



PATTANI, Nov 7 -- In an attempt to clear up any misunderstanding among the public, an army spokesman said today that the 2,700 military grade assault rifles given by the government to residents of Thailand's southern border provinces are meant for defending themselves and their communities from attacks by insurgents operating in the area.

Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command, said the news which appeared in both local and foreign media had caused “anxieties and misunderstandings” among the people.

Stressing that the government wants to resolve the ongoing bloody violence in the deep south through peaceful means and under the law which offers equality, justice and respect of humanitarian values, said Col Pramote.

The government wants to see both the civilian force and the public to play a role in overseeing the area, build a strong community in which they could defend themselves and their communities and “not to fight against the troublemakers.”

The government is now in the second phase of solving the problems prevailing in the deep South, said Col Pramote. This operation began in 2011.

Village defence volunteers and paramilitary defence volunteers have been trained to protect themselves and their communities and to also inform concerned authorities of any crisis in time.

Col Pramote elaborated further that the rifles given by the Interior Ministry to the local community are meant for the people to protect themselves and “no more new guns are handed to paramilitary defence volunteers” operating in the area.

To date, more than 5,000 people have died while many others have been wounded in incidents which resumed beginning January 2004.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has said he would visit the three violence-plagued southern provinces -- Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat -- but has not yet fixed the date. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-11-07

[ChrisY1]

The handing out of military weapons to these people is nothing short of a cop-out!

IMO they're saying now....."here's the guns....look after youselves"............

A disgraceful situation.....a blatant denial......a situation that the security forces in the south have found themselves inept, under resourced, undertrained and unable to have any impact on the issues there.

Shame on the authorities...........

[casindonet]

Might as well give them some humvees, tanks.....heck give some attack heli & rpg's too....so the muslim can have their own private army.

[ExPratt]

Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

[Rumble]

Now the "Dwang is gonna hit the Fan"

[casualbiker]

Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

Not really, a Democratic western nation has been doing it for years. Generally in other countries than its own though!

But putting more automatic weapons in the hands of the inexperienced is a cocktail for disaster!

[Fat Haggis]

Words fail me !! Honest to Christ if this is was sanctioned from the very top it beggars belief, don't bother answering as I already suspect the answer!!

They don't need guns to protect themselves that IS the role of the RTA !!

In other words we're not up to the job, you can do it yourselves !!! Shocking !!

Edited November 7, 2014 by Fat Haggis

[ExPratt]

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Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

Not really, a Democratic western nation has been doing it for years. Generally in other countries than its own though!

But putting more automatic weapons in the hands of the inexperienced is a cocktail for disaster!

I agree the yanks and UK do it but normally not in their own country

[Thailand]

Stupid to the nth degree from the initial concept.

Another PR disaster for the powers that be.

Wonder what will be next and how much dafter than the last one will it be.

[Fat Haggis]

Free air ? Sold for 50 baht a bottle ? Why not? It sems to be daft season in Thailand just now, with the Army giving away free assault rifles to possible vigilantes and the tourist minister pushing for celeb selfies to promote Thailand

" come visit our lovely country and if your going sightseeing in the South take a selfie with a free automotic assault rifle "

[simple1]

Words fail me !! Honest to Christ if this is was sanctioned from the very top it beggars belief, don't bother answering as I already suspect the answer!!

They don't need guns to protect themselves that IS the role of the RTA !!

In other words we're not up to the job, you can do it yourselves !!! Shocking !!

Not sure how the RTA can provide effective & timely security for every village and community in the deep South. I assume the weapons are being handed out in the red areas (hopefully with more than a few days training) to provide some self defence capability.

Looking at a report from late 2007, that reviews the armed Thai government militias in the deep South, one hopes the decision makers have taken into account lessons learnt.

Village Defence Volunteers (Chor Ror Bor) & Village Protection Force (Or Ror Bor)

http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-east-asia/thailand/140-southern-thailand-the-problem-with-paramilitaries.aspx

[Lingba]

^{Oh great..this should improve things}

[Ragzilb]

Using guns for peace is like &lt;deleted&gt; for virginity

[casualbiker]

Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

Not really, a Democratic western nation has been doing it for years. Generally in other countries than its own though!

But putting more automatic weapons in the hands of the inexperienced is a cocktail for disaster!

I agree the yanks and UK do it but normally not in their own country

Uk hasn't done it for a LONG time .. the British army don't have enough for themselves! Edited November 7, 2014 by casualbiker

[55Jay]

I guess it's better than having the insurgents steal them from the army depot.

[kuiburi]

If I would live in an area with terrorist attacks on a daily basis I would love to have an assault rifle to defend my family and neighbourhood.

What would u do if u or ur village got attacked with grenades and assault rifles ? throw bananas ? or pineapples ? maybe a durian ?

There guns go to defence volunteers and paramilitary defence volunteers , they probably know how to handle a weapon .

[brucec64]

Words fail me !! Honest to Christ if this is was sanctioned from the very top it beggars belief, don't bother answering as I already suspect the answer!!

They don't need guns to protect themselves that IS the role of the RTA !!

In other words we're not up to the job, you can do it yourselves !!! Shocking !!

I agree it is the role of the RTA, but the RTA is engaged in a much more important mission - ensuring the streets are clear of book readers and sandwich eaters.

[kuiburi]

Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

Not really, a Democratic western nation has been doing it for years. Generally in other countries than its own though!

But putting more automatic weapons in the hands of the inexperienced is a cocktail for disaster!

I agree the yanks and UK do it but normally not in their own country

Uk hasn't done it for a LONG time .. the British army don't have enough for themselves!

Israel

[casualbiker]

Flooding the area with weapons in the pursuit of peace is a very Thai solution

Not really, a Democratic western nation has been doing it for years. Generally in other countries than its own though!

But putting more automatic weapons in the hands of the inexperienced is a cocktail for disaster!

I agree the yanks and UK do it but normally not in their own country

Uk hasn't done it for a LONG time .. the British army don't have enough for themselves!

Israel

What?

We are talking about giving weapons NOT selling them for 12 billion pounds!

Edited November 7, 2014 by casualbiker

[fstarbkk]

This is another case of "theatre of the absurd"! Who decides who gets a gun and who doesn't? And who ensures that these guns don't end up in the hands of those against whom they are supposed to defend the pace loving villagers?

[bangkokfrog]

One this is for sure, by this time next year the insurgents will be better armed... with hundreds of "military grade assault rifles" !!!

[surangw]

did they record serial numbers and persons they were given to, or just chuck the guns off the back of a truck ?

who gets the commission on ammunition ?

[MexicanFarang]

Giving 2700 assault rifles to Thai people.

Brilliant!

What could possibly go wrong?

[englishoak]

It would be laughable if it wasnt so deadly........ heres some guns go do the job we cant be bothered to and paid not to...

What a useless bunch the RTA is, just like the police, protecting the people ? dont make me puke

[Dogmatix]

The government is now in the second phase of solving the problems prevailing in the deep South, said Col Pramote. This operation began in 2011.

Seeing as how the first and second phases were such runaway successes, I bet the people of the South can't wait for the third phase to get started with all these new assault rifles and all. The insurgents are probably slavering about their hands on them too.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Dogmatix

[BillyBobThai]

[noitom]

Handing out military grade assault weapons to a Thai civilian population fraught with corruption and no leadership. This makes a lot of sense, and I am certain that it will catch the eye of the international community.

[mojorison]

Open season on Muslims? Alarm bells will be ringing throughout the region. A very improper and simplistic strategy from the regime.

[pitchag]

Using guns for peace is like <deleted> for virginity

not being able to defends ones self and family is like a chicken waiting to have it's throat, cut the police and army cannot be everywhere all the time, most of these terrorist go for soft targets like teachers on there way to school or shooting young girls in the back of the head whilst on a motor bike.

As a policeman friend in Aussie said to me "we can't prevent crime we just arrive after the act to clean up and investigate" you are under a delusion if you think they can protect you, your personal safety and the safety of your family is up to you alone

[BirdsandBooze]

If I would live in an area with terrorist attacks on a daily basis I would love to have an assault rifle to defend my family and neighbourhood.

What would u do if u or ur village got attacked with grenades and assault rifles ? throw bananas ? or pineapples ? maybe a durian ?

There guns go to defence volunteers and paramilitary defence volunteers , they probably know how to handle a weapon .

If I lived in an area that was subject to terrorist attacks on a daily basis I would move my family the hell out of there.