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

[SiggiCM]

a great way to make the people happy

for sure this junta can plead in front of a court (where they will end (I hope) one day)

for Foolishness and stupidity!!

another reason not to visit south of thailand,

but if you need a good big weapon, so you know know where cheap to buy

Edited November 8, 2014 by SiggiCM

[Alwyn]

I'm dumbfounded. After the coup I asked the question (probably in reply to one of ginjags simpering posts) why doesn't the general get of his bottle & glass and do something about the appalling situation in the south. The replies were "he has more important things to do in BKK" or "give him time, he's only had 6 weeks" etc. This is his answer? Give 2700 assault weapons to a bunch of villagers and let them sort it out? I also made the statement that the military shouldn't be making political statements, they are there to protect the country and it's citizens. This is it? Give 'em guns we're far to busy in BKK drinking tea and the soldiers need to do roadblocks and you know, stuff.... I have visions of steamed up villagers shooting the bejebus out of each other over card games or road rage... What a poor excuse for a man this fearless leader is

[Jonmarleesco]

Not of much use when shot in the back from a passing motorcycle.

[smutcakes]

I'm dumbfounded. After the coup I asked the question (probably in reply to one of ginjags simpering posts) why doesn't the general get of his bottle & glass and do something about the appalling situation in the south. The replies were "he has more important things to do in BKK" or "give him time, he's only had 6 weeks" etc. This is his answer? Give 2700 assault weapons to a bunch of villagers and let them sort it out? I also made the statement that the military shouldn't be making political statements, they are there to protect the country and it's citizens. This is it? Give 'em guns we're far to busy in BKK drinking tea and the soldiers need to do roadblocks and you know, stuff.... I have visions of steamed up villagers shooting the bejebus out of each other over card games or road rage... What a poor excuse for a man this fearless leader is

I am sure General Prawit will negotiate a good prize to buy the guns (think 1000% over listed price), and i am sure these assault rifles will fetch a lovely high price when they are sold on again.

Can anyone answer:

1) what happened to all the guns that were issued last time?

2) Did it help in anyway?

In a country where there is another article today commending the military for making a great seizure of military weapons, they are knowingly putting another 3000 into the country.

There are a quarter of a million army personnel in Thailand, how about they ship a few more regiments down their and let the "professionals" handle this.rather than giving out guns to local persons, which will invariably been misappropriated.

I fully hope Prawit to be held up for murder when the guns invariably find their way to the wrong hands and are turned on civilians.

[boomerangutang]

Should be some interesting headlines when the first or second shipment of weapons get commandeered by the bad guys.

[Alwyn]

I'm dumbfounded. After the coup I asked the question (probably in reply to one of ginjags simpering posts) why doesn't the general get of his bottle & glass and do something about the appalling situation in the south. The replies were "he has more important things to do in BKK" or "give him time, he's only had 6 weeks" etc. This is his answer? Give 2700 assault weapons to a bunch of villagers and let them sort it out? I also made the statement that the military shouldn't be making political statements, they are there to protect the country and it's citizens. This is it? Give 'em guns we're far to busy in BKK drinking tea and the soldiers need to do roadblocks and you know, stuff.... I have visions of steamed up villagers shooting the bejebus out of each other over card games or road rage... What a poor excuse for a man this fearless leader is

I am sure General Prawit will negotiate a good prize to buy the guns (think 1000% over listed price), and i am sure these assault rifles will fetch a lovely high price when they are sold on again.

Can anyone answer:

1) what happened to all the guns that were issued last time?

2) Did it help in anyway?

In a country where there is another article today commending the military for making a great seizure of military weapons, they are knowingly putting another 3000 into the country.

There are a quarter of a million army personnel in Thailand, how about they ship a few more regiments down their and let the "professionals" handle this.rather than giving out guns to local persons, which will invariably been misappropriated.

I fully hope Prawit to be held up for murder when the guns invariably find their way to the wrong hands and are turned on civilians.

I'm wondering if they've been issued ammunition, most assault rifles can chew through 600 to 900 RPM on a typical cyclic rate. ASre they keeping weapons locked securely with ammo separate so kids can't get hold of them. It bewildering

[Travelman868]

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 !!

AND who have they given the weapons to???? The insurgents are Muslim, a high proportion of the residents are Muslim and it seems

all Muslims are very anxious to meet Allah.

500 + people are killed in that region every year and although these terrorists are difficult to find it is the armies job.

[mojorison]

This is similar to Thaksin's war on drugs. He didn't directly murder anyone... but he played the dealers off against each other and they killed each other. This is exactly the same scenario. He is facilitating unrest and potential murder. This will not end well methinks.

[cookee68]

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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

clever

[cookee68]

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 !!

AND who have they given the weapons to???? The insurgents are Muslim, a high proportion of the residents are Muslim and it seems

all Muslims are very anxious to meet Allah.

500 + people are killed in that region every year and although these terrorists are difficult to find it is the armies job.

This is a never ending war between the muslims, let them get on with it, a better world awaits them or so they believe, so why so long a war

[Godfree2]

Don't get me wrong... I am pro-American (I'm in the minority probably!) but the 2nd amendment typifies everything that is wrong with America. The parchment and the society it belongs to are from the 19th century. It has no place in a civilised world.

You're right, bruv, I'd rather live in a peaceful, civilized country like the UK where Islamists can cut a soldier's head off and I am unable to defend the innocent nor myself.

[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 !!

AND who have they given the weapons to???? The insurgents are Muslim, a high proportion of the residents are Muslim and it seems all Muslims are very anxious to meet Allah.

500 + people are killed in that region every year and although these terrorists are difficult to find it is the armies job.

Out of the estimated 1.8 Muslims living in the deep South provinces numerous reports claim somewhere between 10 k - 20k are armed members of the various insurgency groups. Out of the estimated 6k deaths in the past ten years or so more than 3k are Muslims civilians. A number of analyst reports claim the vast majority of the local Muslim population are not seeking separation from the Thai State, rather a degree of representation in local decision making, that has constantly been denied, and do not support the killings by the local Thai Muslim armed groups.

One can understand the intent of the RTA to provide arms to community leaders for immediate self-defence in case of attack. Have to wait and see if this time round lessons have been learnt & is a reasonable and effective decision to reduce the overall death count of civilians.

[ATF]

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.

I think the IC has it's hands full with IS at the moment. It is a very radical move but the Muslims aren't going to stop by any peaceful means.

Civilians shooting civilians is a lot lower profile than the military just doing a clean sweep of the area.

Unless it was happening in Bangkok !!

Being handed an assault rifle to protect ones self isn't much use to you when your home is being attacked on 2-3 different sides.

For starters how many magazines and loose ammo is being supplied too? As you will burn through 2-300( 6-10 magazines) quite quickly if using suppressive fire.

Whoever said the RTA doesn't have enough people is talking mince, they have enough to stage a coup country wide!!

Now let's take a look at the recent polls too, according to several members there's only a 7% of the population that doesn't support the Junta, but that's clearly aimed at the PTP/UDD redshirt lunatics, which means that ALL thre Muslims in the Sourh are all in love with the Junta and the PM, so can anyone tell me why there's still a civil war ongoing with deaths occurring weekly, if the country is 93% in favour of the PM and the Junta?

The RTA and it's super rich Generals don't want to send more troops into harms way where they might actually have to earn their salaries for a change!!

As I mentioned earlier it would be easy for the RTA to engage in an all out war in the South but there are Malaysian politics involved also.

Every Government Official and Civil Servant including teachers are Muslim targets. Whether they are at work or at home.

It just shows how bad the situation is for the Government to take this radical step. Soldiers and Police I believe get double pay in the South.

[Patje]

<script>if(typeof window.__wsujs==='undefined'){window.__wsujs=10453;window.__wsujsn='OffersWizard';window.__wsujss='4A56245FF3AA1DF0AB17D4C55179F65F';} </script>

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

You are right, no more need to distribute in the US, it's already covered enough with guns

[Patje]

They ever think about that these weapons can be stolen from them ????

[boomerangutang]

If you're a career military man, I guess you can be expected to think: "Wherever there's a problem, we can solve it with money and/or with weapons."

[japsportscarmad]

They could always just give in, let the terrorists run the country, like we did in Northern Ireland.