Dozen wounded as car bomb rips through southern Thai town

[webfact]

Dozen wounded as car bomb rips through southern Thai town

AFP

NARATHIWAT: -- Around a dozen people were wounded when a car bomb detonated by remote control ripped through a karaoke bar in Thailand's Muslim-majority deep south on Friday, officials told AFP.

The blast, which occurred after Friday prayers and also destroyed several houses in the provincial capital of Narathiwat, comes as the Thai junta seeks negotiating partners to restart peace talks with insurgents.

Thailand's southernmost provinces, bordering Malaysia, have been blistered by more than a decade of violence between insurgents seeking greater autonomy for the culturally distinct region and Thai security forces.

More than 6,300 people have been killed -- the majority civilians.

"A car bomb was detonated by remote control outside a karaoke bar," Anurut Kritsakaraket, police commander of three southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala told AFP.

Although the bar was closed, a dozen people eating nearby were wounded by the blast, with one in a serious condition, Anurut added.

The local governor later confirmed the toll to reporters.

Bomb disposal experts also defused a bomb hidden on a motorcycle parked nearby and another smaller homemade device 500 metres from the blast site.

"The attackers wanted to lure police to the site before hitting us with another bomb," the police commander added.

Torn corrugated roofing, electrical wires, shattered glass and the charred shell of the car littered the street as police secured the area, according to an AFP witness.

The Thai junta has vowed to reboot peace talks to end the near-daily violence, which is characterised by roadside bombs and ambushes targeting Thai security forces and assassinations of Muslim or Buddhist locals perceived to have collaborated with the Thai state.

But a date for new talks has not been agreed, with rebels yet to publically confirm the terms they are willing to accept to return to the negotiating table.

A previous round of talks with the toppled civilian administration collapsed as a political crisis engulfed Bangkok.

The Thai army now want assurances any rebel interlocutors will have the power to control the increasingly ruthless fighters on the ground.

Attacks have been less frequent over recent weeks, something some experts say reflects either the start of confidence building measures ahead of new talks, or the success of a military crackdown on insurgent suspects.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-02-20

[binjalin]

Terrible incident and hope that, eventually, a negotiated peace is forthcoming and we hear no more from cynical posters using such incidents to further their personal political right wing agendas. Hope the wounded recover swiftly.

[pedro01]

Religion of pieces

[Srikcir]

The NCPO has stated that NO peacetalks can take place until ALL violence ends. Then at undefined POINT in time LATER peacetalks can be planned.

This and other "preconditions" set by the NCPO seem to guarantee that the NCPO will have unlimited excuses why it can't deliver on Gen. Prayuth's promise of peace with insurgents by end of 2015, extended from end of 2014. Recall also that the NCPO essentially "washed its hands" of responsibility to get peace talks started by stating that Malaysia was the "ONE" to get insurgents to the peace table.

Insurgents - NCPO is wating for your phone call! Operators are standing by.

[ironryon]

Muslims no doubt [emoji42][emoji42][emoji42]

[theslime]

Muslims no doubt [emoji42][emoji42][emoji42]

whom are ?

[spermwhale]

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

Muslims no doubt [emoji42][emoji42][emoji42]

whom are ?

WHO are_? The perpetrators. Them did it.

[RT555]

Should immediately send backup forces from Pattaya/Bangkok/Phuket. about 1,000 from each area.

With such top trained forces going there, should alleviate some of or most of all the trash down there.

Edited February 20, 2015 by RT555

[Xircal]

This has been going on since the Kingdom of Siam conquered the region in 1785. An upsurge in the insurgency took place in 2001 and has been escalating ever since.

Will Thailand relent and give up the land it conquered four centuries ago? I doubt it somehow, so expect more of the same for probably decades to come.

[harber8]

There seems to be an underlying trend of violent uprising almost globally now from people who follow the Islamic faith. The belief is very diverse in that many people practice different aspect of the religion usually suited to the communities that's they live in and families they grow up around. Some muslims very loosely follow the reigion if atall, some are brainwashed from childhood and later in life into believing it's a religion worth dieing for and most are peace loving, kind and respectful human beings. We see divercity in all regions of course but none with such numbers of people that believe the faith is worth dieing for or worth killing for. The problems we are experiencing in the south havn't been helps with the actions of Thaksin and his goverment but even without these actions the problems would still remain and the violence would still have intensified. The problem is now we have another Thai goverment unable to deal with the problem. Too inexperienced to negotiate professionally or with an open mind. The timing of this is dreadful for the Yellow shirt / Army combined coup leading goverment because it will be soon be forced to remove martial law paving the way for the red shirts to come to Bangkok and protest last years coup. We could see the Thai army put to the test with large scale protest in the capital and the southern insurgents siezing the moment of distraction to further intensify their attacks in the south. I believe the next half decade could see Thailand changing significantly for the better or worse I'm not sure. Be on your guard people and have a good weekend. Teacher Tom

[ikbenhet]

Ha hoax! Cannot be Muslims, they want/need instant gratification.

And you need to be killed as martyr to receive the reward.

Elementary dear Watson

Edited February 20, 2015 by ikbenhet

[Tywais]

Khaosod.co.th (Google Translate)

[djjamie]

With the Junta making remarkable progress down South reducing the attacks this will hopefully be a thing of the past in 2015.

Glad that no one had died.

Edited February 20, 2015 by djjamie

[Ve37]

Religion of pieces

I've been saying for months,...the junta needs to forget about persecuting Yingluck and the Northern Thai,...the real enemy of the Bangkok Elite is in the Muslim South. Go visit Krabi, Phi Phi, Phuket, Trang,...unhappy Muslims, and growing daily,...unhappy Muslims that don't like the King. Unhappy Muslims making everyone listen to their prayers. The Northern Thai love their King.

Instead of the NCPO alienating the Northern Thai,...they should embracing the Northern Rural Majority, before the Northern Rural Majority tells the NCPO to go fight their own war with the Muslim South.

I've already made two trips to the South this year,...far too many Muslims,...way too much unhappiness,...everything seems tense. Muslims want to convert Buddhists.

[koo wallety tourist]

they were after those who had perverted christianity

[Ve37]

Religion of pieces

I've been saying for months,...the junta needs to forget about persecuting Yingluck and the Northern Thai,...the real enemy of the Bangkok Elite is in the Muslim South. Go visit Krabi, Phi Phi, Phuket, Trang,...unhappy Muslims, and growing daily,...unhappy Muslims that don't like the King. Unhappy Muslims making everyone listen to their prayers. The Northern Thai love their King.

Instead of the NCPO alienating the Northern Thai,...they should embracing the Northern Rural Majority, before the Northern Rural Majority tells the NCPO to go fight their own war with the Muslim South.

I've already made two trips to the South this year,...far too many Muslims,...way too much unhappiness,...everything seems tense. Muslims want to convert Buddhists.

I think Thailand is headed for situation like in Iraq. Thai Muslims are like ISIL,...while the Northern Thai are like the Kurds, ready for their own homeland because of persistent persecution by the Bangkok Elite. The NCPO are too focus on faery tales about Shinawatra corruption, and not on the real threat in Thailand.

[cup-O-coffee]

Terrible incident and hope that, eventually, a negotiated peace is forthcoming and we hear no more from cynical posters using such incidents to further their personal political right wing agendas. Hope the wounded recover swiftly.

"Hope"... good grief!

[Briggsy]

There can never be any substantive peace talks. Any political leader who stood up and openly called for any degree of autonomy for the culturally distinct Malay regions, irrespective of whether they were linked to the violence, would be at great risk of extrajudicial execution. It is a long-standing policy of the Army to eliminate those that do not subscribe to the military's philosophy of loyalty to nation, religion and monarchy. So the military have no real willingness to negotiate and nobody to negotiate with. There is no Pattani version of Sinn Fein, Batasuna or the ANC because they would be shot.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Briggsy

[welshissan]

With the Junta making remarkable progress down South reducing the attacks this will hopefully be a thing of the past in 2015.

Glad that no one had died.

Are you for real? What progress have the junta made in the south!

All the junta is doing is alienating the people in the north of the country.

Get your head out of the sand and smell the coffee.

You really do live in cloud cuckoo land!

[Docno]

With the Junta making remarkable progress down South reducing the attacks this will hopefully be a thing of the past in 2015.

Glad that no one had died.

'With the Junta making remarkable progress down South reducing the attacks"

Did you forget to use the sarcasm icon?

[SiSePuede419]

"Muslims no doubt"

Follow the money.

Hint: $audis--funding terrorism worldwide for over 80 years.

The new Chinese solar factory won't come a day too soon. &lt;deleted&gt; those &lt;deleted&gt;....

[anon4546543]

The Muslim Malaysians believe that this part of southern Thailand belongs to them. They will never stop their murderous intent to get it back. It is the same in Ukraine with the Russians. IMHO the Thais should make a deal with Malaysia to sell the land back to them and then put tight border control to prevent homicidal and murderous elements of the Muslim faith from entering the Kingdom. That will probably not happen but the least they could do is follow the money trail to those that are funding radical Islam in south Thailand. But we already know who is sponsoring them. In all it is a shame and an ever continuing blight on this beautiful country.

[gchurch259]

You do not negotiate with a Cobra or Rattlesnake, you kill it !! People have been trying to negotiate with this Religion since around 600AD, not working.

[djjamie]

With the Junta making remarkable progress down South reducing the attacks this will hopefully be a thing of the past in 2015.

Glad that no one had died.

Are you for real? What progress have the junta made in the south!

All the junta is doing is alienating the people in the north of the country.

Get your head out of the sand and smell the coffee.

You really do live in cloud cuckoo land!

What progress are the Junta making in the South? Very good question and I would love to answer it for you.

I am referring to the government's security approach since the coup, where the military outsources security work to local villagers and hunted down militants which lessened violence, with recorded incidents plunging from 1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. Meaning that in 2014 the incidents nearly halved.

Then we have the secretary-general of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre stating early this month that the situation in the southern-border provinces since June 2014 had improved significantly with a decrease of deaths and injuries by 52 percent. Meaning 2015 is continuing down a progressive path as well.

I look forward to the peace talks to reduce all incidents to zero in the deep south or won't that suit your agenda?

Maybe some less condescension and more constructive rebuts may be in order mate...

Your second sentence had nothing to do with what we are talking about. Your third was a statement said out of frustration by the facts I presented and the fourth sentence is to make you feel better by belittling me.

Edited February 20, 2015 by djjamie

[Briggsy]

The Muslim Malaysians believe that this part of southern Thailand belongs to them. They will never stop their murderous intent to get it back. It is the same in Ukraine with the Russians. IMHO the Thais should make a deal with Malaysia to sell the land back to them and then put tight border control to prevent homicidal and murderous elements of the Muslim faith from entering the Kingdom. That will probably not happen but the least they could do is follow the money trail to those that are funding radical Islam in south Thailand. But we already know who is sponsoring them. In all it is a shame and an ever continuing blight on this beautiful country.

If you believe the insurgency in Pattani is actively supported by the Malaysian government, it shows you have absolutely no idea about this issue and what has been going on there for many decades.

If you believe that Malaysia would like to annex Pattani, you are talking absolute rubbish.

You seriously need to do some research on this issue as you are utterly clueless.

[noitom]

The Thai south is a shame. It;s certainly an international high profile terror spot. Well over 6,300 killed and 10,000 injured along with substantial property damage is a serious terrorist problem. Truck and car bombs, shootings and other forms of terror. The world should pay more attention to the Thai south.

[lonewolf99]

I read recently that on a global scale 95% of deaths by terrorist attacks claim the lives of Muslims.......

And when people point out that in the "vast majority of cases Muslims are peace loving respectful people", then I ask why the (deleted by me) do they not do something about the ones that are not peace loving and respectful....?

Why does it take the rest of planet earth to rush around saving lives and peacekeeping all over the place ?

Now that the UK and USA are not joining in the fight the locals are having to do it themselves. i.e. Egypt in Libya and Jordon in Syria. And about time to.

If these insurgents in the South want to live in a Muslim state. Why do they not just head more South? they then have the choice of Malaysia and Indonesia...easy.

[Robby nz]

This has been going on since the Kingdom of Siam conquered the region in 1785. An upsurge in the insurgency took place in 2001 and has been escalating ever since.

Will Thailand relent and give up the land it conquered four centuries ago? I doubt it somehow, so expect more of the same for probably decades to come.

Yep then they should give the top part to the Khmer for at one time they had all of that down to Ayutthaya before they were driven out.

And don't forget the Burmese they had all the land across to the Chao Phraya river and a bit beyond at one time till they were chased out.

Sounds good then all the Thai could live in the bit that was left, be a bit crowed but what the heck, everyone would be happy, except the Thai's that is.

Wars from centuries ago when borders were very different should not be used as a reason for murder, bombings and arson. The borders have been demarcated for many years and are understood and must stay, giving away bits of a country to appease a violent minority is not the way to go. And :

Remember when the terrorists (yes that's what they are) in the south said they were killing in revenge for Tak Bai : http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Buddhist-official-beheaded-in-revenge-killing/2004/11/02/1099362146542.html November 3, 2004

A note on the severed head of Run Tulay, 58, which was found yesterday, read: "A revenge for the innocents of Tak Bai district". His body was found two kilometres away, near Sukhirin village, 830 kilometres south of Bangkok, an official said.

And : http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2004/11/thai-n26.html 26 November 2004

Thaksin stokes further conflict in southern Thailand

The provocative actions of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra since the murder of at least 87 unarmed protestors by the military at Tak Bai in southern Thailand on October 25 have ensured there will be further violence. Thaksin has not only refused to apologise for the killings, but made clear that the Thai military will be intensifying its campaign of repression and intimidation in the predominantly Muslim region.

So its not all about wanting territory either for themselves or to be part of Malaysia but in fact about using excuses for violence without any real goal or reason.

What reason can there possibly be for killing teachers, nurses, children and anyone who happens to be in the way of a bomb ?

[Lite Beer]

Manhunt ordered after car bomb explosion in Narathiwat wounds 13



NATATHIWAT: -- Security officials are now hunting for a group of southern insurgents after they set off a car bomb that exploded and injured 13 people, three of them seriously, in Narathiwat town Friday afternoon.

Thorough checks of all surveillance cameras in the area revealed that the Mitsubishi pickup truck which was turned into the car bomb was robbed from Songkhla province and was later used as a vehicle to attack a local administration office in Pattani a month ago.

The pickup truck was earlier used by its owner to deliver students to school in Songkhla but was robbed.

Security officials said the insurgents parked the pickup truck in front of a Karaoke shop on Na Nakorn Road in Narathiwat municipality before setting it off, wounding 13 persons, and damaging over 20 shop houses.

At the second location, authorities were called in to investigate a suspicious motorcycle that was parked at an intersection to the entrance of a Kuan Yin Chinese shrine.

The motorcycle was parked only approximately 300 meters from where the first blast occurred and a remotely detonated explosive device was discovered concealed within the vehicle.

Authorities from a bomb disposal unit employed high pressure water hoses to disable the device before it could be detonated. It is believed that this device was planted to hurt peace-keeping personnel patrolling the area.

As for the third location, insurgents apparently hurled an unknown explosive device into the front premises of a restaurant situated on the Old Road connecting the municipality to Yi Ngo district.

Fortunately, the device failed to detonate and the device was later removed by security officials.

Authorities are now on high alert for the whereabouts of the insurgents and many check-points and patrols have been set up.

The burnt-out pickup truck has been inspected by a forensic unit which discovered that the vehicle was actually a school bus that was stolen from Songkla province. This vehicle was also used to attack an Or Bor Tor – local administration office in Khok Pho district in Pattani province before being used as a car bomb in Narathiwat.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/manhunt-ordered-car-bomb-explosion-narathiwat-wounds-13

-- Thai PBS 2015-02-20

[tomacht8]

No negotiations with murderers and bombers.
The only language these terrorists understand is a bullet in the head.
Muslims in the south can practice their faith and can send their children to an Islamic school.

The extremists and the preachers of hate are the danger.
Normal Muslims hate them too.