Violence in southern Thailand claims almost 4,000 people in 11 years

[webfact]

Southern violence claims almost 4,000 people in 11 years



BANGKOK: -- Unrest in the three insurgency-plagued provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat and some districts of Songkhla have claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people throughout the past 11 years of violence.

The Southern Border Provinces Police Operations Centre stated that there were a total of 16,969 insurgency related cases during the period from January 4, 2004 to January 4, 2015.

Breakdowns of all these violent cases are 8,027 armed attacks, 3,022 bombings, 1,647 arsons, 258 clashes with authorities, 339 attacks on individuals, 172 gun robberies, 102 murders, 65 protests, 3,315 acts of harassment and 22 other incidents.

It said 3,961 people were killed and 9,625 were injured in these cases.

The deaths included 2,610 civilians, 509 soldiers, 365 police officers, 138 teachers, 18 monks and 321 insurgents.

The injured included 5,548 civilians, 2,453 soldiers, 1,422 police officers, 147 teachers, 24 monks and 31 insurgents.

But the centre said the unrest situation improved with violent cases declining in 2014 against 2013 with a total of 212 deaths, comprising 129 civilians, 40 soldiers, 28 police officers, five teachers, two monks and eight separatists.

There were 322 deaths in 2013 and 326 in 2012.

Of the security and insurgency cases, authorities said they have classified the security of villages by colours – red, yellow and green.

Red is classified as the highest level of violence.

For 2014, red level villages decreased to 136 from 2013’s figure of 319.

Yellow level villages fell from 517 in 2013 to 234 last year while green level villages increased from 1,160 in 2013 to 1,600 for 2014.

Insurgency groups were also classified from interrogations of suspects.

Security authorities said they have identified a total of 11,000 insurgents comprising 315 Islamic leaders, 208 insurgency group leaders, 2,314 members of the Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) group, 6,075 sympathisers of various groups and 1,123 others.

Yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of an insurgent attack on the Army’s Fourth Development Battalion base in Jo-irong district in Narathiwat province which killed four soldiers, and more than 400 assault rifles and handguns were stolen.

So far, 104 of the stolen guns were retrieved. They include 90 M16 rifles, eight 11mm pistols, three SKS rifles, two AK47 rifles, and one shotgun.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/southern-violence-claims-almost-4000-people-11-years

-- Thai PBS 2015-01-05

[jacky54]

Nothing to do with the religion of peace then, insurgency sounds a bit better than terrorist attacks.

[PatOngo]

"There were 322 deaths in 2013 and 326 in 2012."

About equal to a 7 day holiday road toll at New Year or Songkran.

[ChrisY1]

Last I thought , there were some 6000 killed down the south.....just a matter of deducting 200 to make it sound better??

[simple1]

A Thai military officer who attended the Australian Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies published a paper in 2011 analysing the conflict in the deep South. In his introduction he wrote:

"while the struggle has taken on more of a religious orientation in recent years, it is not apparent that this has changed the underlying ethno‐nationalist cause. This paper argues that the conflict in southern Thailand essentially remains a localised conflict over territory and identity"

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

If the OP figures are accurate it is interesting to note that during 2014 only eight "seperatists" were killed compared to 68 members of the security forces.

EDIT: Don't know how current the following is, but a brief profile of RKK Group at:

http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=4711

[chotthee]

4,000 in 11 years.

I am sure 3,990 of it is during Thaksin's year. Remember the moss incident?

[ezzra]

Something is wrong with this figure, there were creditable reports of over 5,000 casualties

last year, so someone is trying to sugar coat the problem here.....

And what our esteemed PM doing about it? oh yeah, he's busy arranging bile routes

in Bkk and gallivanting all over SE Asia of late...

[lvr181]

Sad indictment of Governments of the past 11 years. I wonder if the current Government has the will and fortitude to tackle the issue and reduce or eliminate this blight on all Thai peoples? Apart from some announcements, what is happening?

[jacky54]

Sad indictment of Governments of the past 11 years. I wonder if the current Government has the will and fortitude to tackle the issue and reduce or eliminate this blight on all Thai peoples? Apart from some announcements, what is happening?

You either give in or fight them, do you have any other solution?

[wvavin]

Anybody believes these death numbers must be a self-proclaimed fool.

[Travelman868]

I think someone is massaging the figures, we were told some time ago that there were 5000+ killed.

The Government keep saying that these people are a small number of insurgents however 4 or 5000 killed surely should be treated as war.

Muslims all over the world while not actively involved in these murders do little or nothing the help the authorities, therefore making them

part of the problem.

There is of course a simple solution to this situation, whereby Thailand gives up 2 of the 3 provinces. Just walk away and let the Muslims get on with it

however if the cross border attacks continue treat it as an act of war.

This may sound daft but at present the terrorists are in tiny groups that are difficult to deal with, if they have there "own country " they will have to deal with

there own security, as well as all the other things Governments supply.

That Government would be responsible for controlling the Islamist's. If the bombing continued it would be far easier to deal on the basis of one country

attacking another. Plus the Government would be obliged to winkle out the trouble makers.

Thailand would be better off because the problem in the South costs billions every year and will continue to be a drain on resources. The Muslims will

not be happy until they get most of this land back. BUT by giving up a little land a long term problem could be solved or put Thailand in a position to

deal more effectively with these people.

[dcutman]

Guaranteed there are a very few keeping this so called insurgency alive and running, and they are making truck loads of money doing it and have been for years. Innocent lives lost and consistent terror is part of this game.

There is an exact copy going on in Mexico and other parts of the world. It just has not reached such a grand scale here, yet.

[JungleBoy2]

Last I thought , there were some 6000 killed down the south.....just a matter of deducting 200 to make it sound better??

I'm sure I saw the 6,000 number more than once!! Proofreading is not a job in Thailand.

[JungleBoy2]

I think someone is massaging the figures, we were told some time ago that there were 5000+ killed.

The Government keep saying that these people are a small number of insurgents however 4 or 5000 killed surely should be treated as war.

Muslims all over the world while not actively involved in these murders do little or nothing the help the authorities, therefore making them

part of the problem.

There is of course a simple solution to this situation, whereby Thailand gives up 2 of the 3 provinces. Just walk away and let the Muslims get on with it

however if the cross border attacks continue treat it as an act of war.

This may sound daft but at present the terrorists are in tiny groups that are difficult to deal with, if they have there "own country " they will have to deal with

there own security, as well as all the other things Governments supply.

That Government would be responsible for controlling the Islamist's. If the bombing continued it would be far easier to deal on the basis of one country

attacking another. Plus the Government would be obliged to winkle out the trouble makers.

Thailand would be better off because the problem in the South costs billions every year and will continue to be a drain on resources. The Muslims will

not be happy until they get most of this land back. BUT by giving up a little land a long term problem could be solved or put Thailand in a position to

deal more effectively with these people.

Common sense is a problem. You make sense. Solutions are not made by using common sense.

[Halion]

This article is newsworthy ? This article is history and distorted and massaged in true Thai style. Worthless propaganda trying to vindicate a military presence that has yielded nothing owing to the lack of political resolve and vested interests.

[lvr181]

Sad indictment of Governments of the past 11 years. I wonder if the current Government has the will and fortitude to tackle the issue and reduce or eliminate this blight on all Thai peoples? Apart from some announcements, what is happening?

You either give in or fight them, do you have any other solution?

I am not offering or have another solution, just wondering why it has been allowed to happen and why the hell is someone still not seen to be doing anything about it! Sounds very much like mai pen rai to me

[45slap]

Is this like when I'm driving and pass the 35km road marker, drive for ten minutes, and then pass a 36km road marker?