Four rebel suspects killed, 22 arrested in Thai south clash

[webfact]

Four rebel suspects killed, 22 arrested in Thai south clash
AFP

PATTANI: -- Four suspected insurgents were killed and 22 others arrested during a firefight with security forces in Thailand's deep south, police said Thursday, in the latest clashes to hit the restive region.

Thai military, police and rangers laid siege to To Kood village in Pattani province Wednesday evening after a tip-off about potential militants -- who are fighting for greater autonomy for the Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

"There were about 30 suspected militants when we surrounded the village but some managed to flee to nearby mountains," local commander Mana Dechawarit told AFP. "The clash lasted for one hour."

According to official police reports the dead suspects were all Muslim men aged between 23 and 32.

Those arrested were also all Muslim men, currently detained in a military camp, Mana said.

A patchwork of disparate but seemingly well-organised rebel groups are calling for a level of autonomy for the culturally distinct south, bordering Malaysia, as well as an amnesty for their prisoners and wanted fighters.

Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist nation, annexed the region more than 100 years ago and stands accused of perpetrating severe rights abuses as well as stifling the distinctive local culture through clumsy -- and often forced -- assimilation schemes.

Conflict analysts Deep South Watch say more than 6,300 people -- the majority civilians -- have been killed in the bitter 11-year insurgency mainly in the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala.

Mana said none of the 50 security force members involved in the raid was injured in the clash, during which police seized three AK-47s, one pistol, and one grenade.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-03-26

[seajae]

good to see they are finally killing these terrorists instead of letting them do as they please, hopefully they will not release the ones they captured out on bail, all of them should be put in front of a firing squad for what they have been doing.

[Robby nz]

The security forces seem to be better organized and better at their job of late.

Wasn't long ago that it was them taking the casualties in these fire fights.

[bangkokfrog]

good to see they are finally killing these terrorists instead of letting them do as they please, hopefully they will not release the ones they captured out on bail, all of them should be put in front of a firing squad for what they have been doing.

I think we need to be very careful before condemning people through with stories like this. Did the AFP have a reporter on the ground or did the information come from government sources? If the latter, it is highly suspect.

30 suspected militants... but they found only three AK-47s, one pistol, and one grenade !!!

If the police and rangers were heavily armed, it doesn't sound like the basis for much of a firefight to me. More likely only a small number terrorists, with many of the other men being innocent... but I bet they won't get the benefit of the doubt.

[Srikcir]

Despite the seemingly success of the Thai military with this counter-attack, it represents a massive failure of Prayut to get the insurgents to the peace table anytime soon. Looking at the location, ages, and numbers of the accused shows the insurgency is still active and successfully recruiting (assuming the accused are insurgents) young Muslims. Prayut's pacification of the South (following the same failed techniques used by the US in the Vietnam conflict) is failing.

Prayut pledged to have peace in the South first by the end of 2014, then revised by the end of 2015. Yet, the only change in the military's historical approach to the insurgency was that Prayut insisted that Malaysia is responsible ("You are the One") to get the insurgents to the peace table. But Prayut still insisted on the age-old precondition to peace talks that insurgents must fully identify themselves and must be completely disarmed. Even then he said that the exact timing of the peace talks will occur at a time of chosing by the military.

Malaysia is noticeable silent and failing in any success to communicate with insurgents to meet Prayut's demands. It will take a civilian Thai government of the nature of the Yingluck administration to re-energize peace talks with the insurgency. Unfortunately, Prayut seems to be entrenching himself as Thailand's permanent PM for the foreseeable future.

[Tomtomtom69]

When will this madness end. Terrorists killing more innocent people. Terrorists who need to be executed for their terrible crimes. Terrorists who don't realize how stupid they are: They will NEVER EVER get what they want from Thailand. So why don't they just give up as it's a futile exercise anyway?

[halloween]

Despite the seemingly success of the Thai military with this counter-attack, it represents a massive failure of Prayut to get the insurgents to the peace table anytime soon. Looking at the location, ages, and numbers of the accused shows the insurgency is still active and successfully recruiting (assuming the accused are insurgents) young Muslims. Prayut's pacification of the South (following the same failed techniques used by the US in the Vietnam conflict) is failing.

Prayut pledged to have peace in the South first by the end of 2014, then revised by the end of 2015. Yet, the only change in the military's historical approach to the insurgency was that Prayut insisted that Malaysia is responsible ("You are the One") to get the insurgents to the peace table. But Prayut still insisted on the age-old precondition to peace talks that insurgents must fully identify themselves and must be completely disarmed. Even then he said that the exact timing of the peace talks will occur at a time of chosing by the military.

Malaysia is noticeable silent and failing in any success to communicate with insurgents to meet Prayut's demands. It will take a civilian Thai government of the nature of the Yingluck administration to re-energize peace talks with the insurgency. Unfortunately, Prayut seems to be entrenching himself as Thailand's permanent PM for the foreseeable future.

A civilian Thai government very much like the Yingluck administration just had 2 and a half years and achieved very little. She failed to carry out her duties as an MP only attending parliament when mandatory, didn't bother to attend rice policy meetings, seemed very selective in choosing the lighter PM duties, did she ever actually go to the MoD.

But to sort out those pesky Malaysians, she sent Chalerm, who proceeded to get rat-faced and make himself a national embarrassment.

Just how do people like these get elected. That's right, they get appointed by the criminal who owns the party.

[simple1]

Despite the seemingly success of the Thai military with this counter-attack, it represents a massive failure of Prayut to get the insurgents to the peace table anytime soon. Looking at the location, ages, and numbers of the accused shows the insurgency is still active and successfully recruiting (assuming the accused are insurgents) young Muslims. Prayut's pacification of the South (following the same failed techniques used by the US in the Vietnam conflict) is failing.

Prayut pledged to have peace in the South first by the end of 2014, then revised by the end of 2015. Yet, the only change in the military's historical approach to the insurgency was that Prayut insisted that Malaysia is responsible ("You are the One") to get the insurgents to the peace table. But Prayut still insisted on the age-old precondition to peace talks that insurgents must fully identify themselves and must be completely disarmed. Even then he said that the exact timing of the peace talks will occur at a time of chosing by the military.

Malaysia is noticeable silent and failing in any success to communicate with insurgents to meet Prayut's demands. It will take a civilian Thai government of the nature of the Yingluck administration to re-energize peace talks with the insurgency. Unfortunately, Prayut seems to be entrenching himself as Thailand's permanent PM for the foreseeable future.

Unsure how the PM can get the various insurgency group leaders to the negotiation table as he has made it clear he will not consider any form of autonomy / self governance for the deep South provinces. In anycase it is often claimed the insurgency older generation of political leaders are zero control of the armed youth groups; Juwae

In the past the Malaysians handed over a insurgent leader to the Thais who was then "disappeared", my understanding this event has not been forgotten or forgiven.