Dozen wounded as car bomb rips through southern Thai town

[Srikcir]

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

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

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.

Maybe because they were living in a Muslim state before the Kingdom of Siam conquered the Muslims. Since the creation of "Thailand", Muslims have had to live under the shadow of a Buddhist government that actively promotes and protects Buddhism. Furthermore, the Thai Head of State must be a Buddhist.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Srikcir

[ginbkk]

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.

Using the same logic, USA should give up most of her land to native American indian.

Anyone believe that would happen? [emoji57]

Stop using this kind of logic, change of border prior to WW2 shouldn't count anymore. Otherwise it will never end.

[tomacht8]

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

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

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.

Maybe because they were living in a Muslim state before the Kingdom of Siam conquered the Muslims. Since the creation of "Thailand", Muslims have had to live under the shadow of a Buddhist government that actively promotes and protects Buddhism. Furthermore, the Thai Head of State must be a Buddhist.

This justifies place the bombs?

To kill school teachers?

The beheading of monks?

[Broeno]

I hope the very best for these poor innocent victems. Only a human is capable doing suche horrible thing.

[manxninja]

simple answer, move all muslims out of the area. If they don't like it remove all their land from them.

[surangw]

hardly ever any mention of this in the world news.

[alexonkohchang]

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.

you nailed it

[Yann55]

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.

What a remarkable show of ignorance.

'Muslim Malaysians' you call them, for a start... Pattana, Yala, Naratiwat, 'Muslim Malaysians' ? You're totally out of it, Mister.

[englishoak]

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.

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

Edited February 20, 2015 by englishoak

[Yann55]

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

Which shows the Thai Army are professionnals, because that is exactly the core problem, by now. But why and how it has become the core problem, that is another matter.

This is quite reminiscent of the situation in Northern Ireland. The factor of time, overlooked by most parties, will turn out to be the determining factor in the end. Let's review the steps :

1/ When the 'rebels' (labeled so by the occupying force, not by God or by some wizard holding the Truth with a big T, let's not forget that) first start to resort to violence, they are accused of doing so by some sheer perverse love for violence. They, of course, claim that they have already tried every other means, in vain, that all other attemps were met with contempt (at best) or sheer brutality, and that their only path left is guerilla, because that's the only kind of warfare which actually favours the small, fast and determined.

2/ The rebels get better at killing in the name of their cause. They strike fast, angry and deadly. They shock the nieghbors, the country and (they hope) the rest of the world. They start to settle in their role and call themselves insurgents. The other party calls them terrorists.

3/ The rest of the world has lots of ears and some of them belong to people who see their vested interest in aiding the insurgents/terrorists/whatever. That can't be helped because the world is this complicated machine with so many contradictory interests, so many paradoxes that entertwine in the weirdest way.

4/ The rebels are now a full blown little army, hyper trained, hyper competent, hyper deadly. Some of its elements start to really enjoy the feeling of power that goes with it, and even thoug they still claim that their goal is to 'liberate our land', inwardly they don't really want this to happen because they know it will be the end, somehow, of their time (and power).

5/ Meanwhile, the local population, the mild ones, mild because they are trying to survive in an explosive field of mines, mild because they haven't yet been turned into terrorists by loosing a loved one to torture and blind repression, the local population suffers more and more. At first they welcomed the rebels who brought them hope of regaining their self-pride, their rights, their lands... but now, even though they won't say it openly (not safe, you know), now they start to feel that these rebels have become something else, something sadly akin to the second handle of the pliers which hold them in a firm grip.

6/ At that stage it becomes very difficult to negotiate with rebels/insurgents/terrorists/whatever, because time has completely changed their nature, their agenda, their self perception, and their perception if the enemy as well.

I believe the insurgency in the South is in that latter stage. Why and how has it managed to come this far ? because the powers in place repeatedly downplayed the importance of people and events, could not bring themselves to feel any respect in /or interest for what the Southern people had to say and repeatedly used nothing but either total contempt or brutal violence to 'adress the problem'. Which means that the task of the regular Army now in 2015 is next to impossible, especially because no army in the world would ever remotely consider putting a chunk of the motherland on the negotiation tables. The Army are made, designed, to defend the motherland, how could they be expected to change their software ? That simply cannot happen. But let's not forget what happened in Ireland : it is not hopeless.

Those who repeatedly claim that Malaysia is directly involved in helping the insurgents in the South should realize that they are totally mislead. The foreign power behind is not Malaysia it is the powerful and immensely rich fundamentalist Sunni Wahabis from Saudi Arabia. Malaysia may be afraid of them because of their tremendous financial (and now military) power, but they certainly do not consider them as allies. If anything they have a similar problem with these people in their northernmost provinces and if the three Thai regions of Pattana, Yala and Naratiwat were ever to achieve independance, the Malaysian governement know very well who's next on the menu. So no, NO, NO, Malaysia is NOT helping the insurgents in the South. Some Malaysians may be involved individually, that is quite possible (probable even), but accusing the Malaysian governement is absurd and ignorant.

How the Saudis managed to convince the locals and get a foothold in that region is yet another very interesting story, and another one where we should not take any labels handed to us about the situation without first wondering who printed those labels and why.

Historical note for those who don't know yet : The Sultanate of Pattani was founded in 1390 (comprised the three provinces now known as Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat). The annexion of the Sultanate was made in 1902 by the Kingdom of Siam (not known as Thailand, then).

Edited February 20, 2015 by Yann55

[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.

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. The sad thing is wether it was or was not not will be irrespective of the belief that you won't believe it. Just like a majority that does not support your agenda.

​Facts are not a strong point for you heay….Beliefs are.

The next logical PTP conclusions is it was floods that stopped the terrorism in the deep south.

Then reduction in terrorism in Bangkok was due, not to the Junta, but the red shirts deciding to cease the killing right?

Any story or link that proves me wrong is fake right?

Why even defend my point or argue facts.You will dismiss them,

Your disrespect for the majority why reform is needed.

Edited February 20, 2015 by djjamie

[Lite Beer]

Big car bomb in Narathiwat leaves 13 injured
THE NATION

A CAR BOMB rocked Narathiwat's downtown area yesterday, damaging dozens of homes and injuring 13 people, four of them seriously.

The bomb was hidden in a pickup truck parked in front of a karaoke bar, not far from a Chinese shrine. The blast was detonated early in the afternoon, and left four people seriously injured and nine others with moderate wounds.

Police said later that the vehicle was stolen from its original owner, who was killed in a recent insurgent ambush in Songkhla province.

In separate incidents in Narathiwat, another bomb hidden in a motorcycle parked in Muang district was detected and defused, while a "dud" hand grenade was lobbed into a food shop, but caused no casualties.

The car bomb and attempted attacks occurred despite an earlier warning based on intelligence reports. A source said the assailants exploited a lunch break when security forces switched shifts.

The pickup that carried the bomb was a grey Mitsubishi with a licence plate (4098) registered in Songkhla, but security officials gave conflicting details over whether it was an authentic plate or a fabricated one.

The blast set fire to the pickup but the blaze was put out by a local fire crew. More than 20 homes and shophouses in the district were damaged.

After the explosion, police detected a motorcycle packed with explosives parked around 300 metres from where the pickup was parked. A roadblock was set up to prevent passers-by going near it. Ordnance personnel later defused the explosives and disposed of them.

At a food shop in Muang district, witnesses told police that a number of insurgents approached and threw a grenade into the shop, but it was a dud. Ordnance personnel later collected the grenade and disposed of it.

Witnesses said they saw a teenage male driving the pickup, then getting picked up by another car.

About 50 kilograms of explosives were attached to the vehicle and detonated by a wristwatch, ordnance personnel said.

Police are studying footage from surveillance cameras installed at the site and in all adjacent areas to collect more evidence about the identity of all suspects involved in these incidents, and hope it will help them find out which insurgent groups carried out the terror attacks.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said the bomb and subsequent disruption were likely aimed at undermining tourism in the region. Security officials were seeking to determine which insurgent groups were responsible, he said.

Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Narong Sahapatmetha read out a list of people injured by the car bomb. Four had been seriously wounded, he said, three of them with wounds to their heads and one with a broken leg. The other victims would remain in hospital care, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Big-car-bomb-in-Narathiwat-leaves-13-injured-30254591.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-21

[djjamie]

All I can say is thank god the Junta are fixing this situation...

[halloween]

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.

But it's OK for you to use it to push your own agenda?

[rockingrobin]

All I can say is thank god the Junta are fixing this situation...

Boring

[Howitzer]

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.

Since when have muslims ever been happy.

[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!

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.

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. The sad thing is wether it was or was not not will be irrespective of the belief that you won't believe it. Just like a majority that does not support your agenda.

​Facts are not a strong point for you heay.Beliefs are.

The next logical PTP conclusions is it was floods that stopped the terrorism in the deep south.

Then reduction in terrorism in Bangkok was due, not to the Junta, but the red shirts deciding to cease the killing right?

Any story or link that proves me wrong is fake right?

Why even defend my point or argue facts.You will dismiss them,

Your disrespect for the majority why reform is needed.

Edited February 21, 2015 by draftvader
Messed up quotes

[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!

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.

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. The sad thing is wether it was or was not not will be irrespective of the belief that you won't believe it. Just like a majority that does not support your agenda.

​Facts are not a strong point for you heay.Beliefs are.

The next logical PTP conclusions is it was floods that stopped the terrorism in the deep south.

Then reduction in terrorism in Bangkok was due, not to the Junta, but the red shirts deciding to cease the killing right?

Any story or link that proves me wrong is fake right?

Why even defend my point or argue facts.You will dismiss them,

Your disrespect for the majority why reform is needed.

Edited February 21, 2015 by draftvader
sed up quotes

[welshissan]

Many thanks for your reply mate!

In reply to your question, yes I would love to see peace in the south, and everywhere else but this is not going to happen in our life time.

I lived down there for many years and the hostility is rife towards the Buddhist people from the Muslim community.

What I am trying to say to you is that you believe all the propaganda that the junta is spewing out!

Have a nice day and listen to what Dr Josef Goebbels has to say

[Seastallion]

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.

It's not about the land, it's about some autonomy. They are, after all, ethnically and culturally different. The language, customs, and religion are different from the rest of Thailand.

[halloween]

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.

It's not about the land, it's about some autonomy. They are, after all, ethnically and culturally different. The language, customs, and religion are different from the rest of Thailand.

And there is a high degree of resistance to advance some of those customs a few centuries, to allow anybody else to enjoy their own customs and lifestyle in anything like proximity, and to education and rights for women.

[newcomer71]

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.

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. The sad thing is wether it was or was not not will be irrespective of the belief that you won't believe it. Just like a majority that does not support your agenda.

​Facts are not a strong point for you heay….Beliefs are.

The next logical PTP conclusions is it was floods that stopped the terrorism in the deep south.

Then reduction in terrorism in Bangkok was due, not to the Junta, but the red shirts deciding to cease the killing right?

Any story or link that proves me wrong is fake right?

Why even defend my point or argue facts.You will dismiss them,

Your disrespect for the majority why reform is needed.

I don't think Englishoak is the one with an agenda here...

[halloween]

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

You claim that the violence level in the south varies year by year without an proof or indication of the nature of the fluctuations, refuse to admit that it is because of the junta's actions, yet claim it could be because of martial law. Don't you see the incongruity there?

Are you not aware that there is no longer (Thaksinist) political oversight of the military's actions, or of why there was a sudden increase in animosity in 2001?

Have you any proof other than your bias that the junta's statistics are wrong, or that reporting of much of the violence has been blocked?

[Lite Beer]

Seventeen wounded in Narathiwat bombing incident
By Digital Content

PATTANI, Feb 21 -- A total of 17 persons were wounded by a bomb hidden in a pickup truck and believed to be planted by insurgents which exploded on Friday in the trouble-plagued southern province of Narathiwat, said a senior army officer on Saturday.

Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Fourth Region Forward Command, said authorities found that three bombs were planted and they were rigged to explode at the same time.

Fortunately, authorities were able to detonate two of them, preventing heavier losses and damages.

Col Pramote said the bomb was hidden in a pickup truck stolen from Songkhla’s Thepha district and was also used in a shooting incident in a nearby district of Pattani on September 11.

By early Saturday, eight of the wounded persons continued receiving treatment at a hospital in Narathiwat while nine others were allowed to return home.

A total of 17 houses were damaged in the explosion.

Col Pramote said Fourth Army Region Commander Lt Gen Prakan Chonlayut, who is responsible for security in the South, has ordered officials to try to arrest the bombers and to also provide assistance to the victims.

Denouncing the bombers for trying to disrupt government plan to restore peace in the deep South, Col Pramote said the incident had damaged the economy and hurt credibility of the government in its attempt to resolve the issue of violence in a peaceful manner.

The bombing incident should be denounced by every sector, he added. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2015-02-21

[Lite Beer]

More checkpoints set up in Hat Yai after Narathiwat bombing
By Digital Content

SONGKHLA, Feb 21 -- Hat Yai defence volunteers have set up more checkpoints on roads leading to the southern district of Hat Yai in Songkhla near the Thai-Malaysian border, following Friday’s bombing incident in Narathiwat province which wounded 17 persons, police said Saturday.

Following the incident in Narathiwat, volunteers in cooperation with residents of the district and tourists established more checkpoints on all roads leading to Hat Yai as many Malaysian tourists are still celebrating Chinese New Year in the district, police said.

A total of 17 houses were also damaged in the explosion.

Officials manning the checkpoints would inspect every motorcycle while they would selectively search suspicious cars, police said.

The stricter measure will last until next Monday or after the end of Chinese New Year celebrations, when normal security measures will resumed, police said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2015-02-21

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts have been removed.

[squarethecircle]

Not to diminish this violence, which for reasons I guess we're not hearing has been refreshingly absent the past few months...

Doesn't the new "friendliness" with the junta's second cousins up in China pose a greater threat to Thai people's freedom than the terrorists in the South?

[BSJ]

The whole lot of em would be better served if they moved south of the border down Malaysia way!

[willyumiii]

they were after those who had perverted christianity

Sorry,

They will not find the Pope in Thailand..

[djjamie]

Incidents vary depending on the year, they rise and fall of their own accord and its pretty disingenuous to suggest its any more than a going to ground whilst and during the coup and post since theres martial law throughout the country which no doubt has some effect on the south as well as everywhere else. Just where are you getting your statistics from ? and dont tell me the Junta.

The army has had the mandate to control the south for years, and failed along with everyone else, its failure is also the very same and current Junta in charge.

A Junta claim because it says so does not make it true....... indeed setting a clear example for lying.... "this is not a coup"

1,298 in 2013 to 793 in 2014. The sad thing is wether it was or was not not will be irrespective of the belief that you won't believe it. Just like a majority that does not support your agenda.

​Facts are not a strong point for you heay….Beliefs are.

The next logical PTP conclusions is it was floods that stopped the terrorism in the deep south.

Then reduction in terrorism in Bangkok was due, not to the Junta, but the red shirts deciding to cease the killing right?

Any story or link that proves me wrong is fake right?

Why even defend my point or argue facts.You will dismiss them,

Your disrespect for the majority why reform is needed.

I don't think Englishoak is the one with an agenda here...

So now you change the subject because I was right that the Junta has made progress. Dismiss that and have a crack at me...

He asked what progress the Junta made having doubted it. I presented the statistics that show they have in fact made process and I have the agenda???

Never in the history of fatalities in the South have they gone done this much. Never...

I am basing my findings on facts..So where is the agenda?

And I highlighted what the Junta have implemented that have contributed to this and all I get in reply is a feverish denial it was the Junta that is responsible for it. Some have even stated it was the flooding! The flooding!! To reiterate they have said the flooding is the reason for the reduction. Not that the Junta had given ownership over security to the locals or that the Junta have aggressively "hunted" the terrorists. No…None of that….The weather!!! The floods…

Come on mate.

The ironic thing is that those same people that denounce the Junta for stopping the terrorism in Bangkok and reducing it in the South are the very same people that support the UDD who were responsible for the terrorism in Bangkok.

Before these people even know it they will be supporting ISIS if they were elected in Syria! And if ISIS was as corrupt as the PTP then well. Dreams do come true!!!

Edited February 21, 2015 by djjamie