23 Banks Bombed In South Thailand

[george]

23 Yala banks hit by bomb blasts

YALA: --- Muslim militants launched 23 coordinated time bomb attacks at commercial banks in this southern province Thursday, killing at least one man and severely injuring at least four bank customers, police said.

The bombs, mostly left on bank counters and some in ATM booths at the banks, were detonated mostly by clocks between 11:30 to 11:35 am. Twenty six people suffered minor injuries.

Police said militants dressed in student uniformed carried bombs hidden in folders, books and plastic banks and left them on counters where customers wrote bank slips.

The attacks prompted all banks in the province to close its business for a day and at least five schools decided to close and released students home.

The attacks were carried out in five districts - 11 in Muang, six in Betong, 2 in Yaha, 2 in Bannang Sata and 2 in Raman.

Police said most of the injured were those who came in to draw cash from ATM machines.

Most of the bombs were hidden in thick books, which pages carved out or in women handbags.

The killed was identified as Major Sanuchart Srithong, a retired army officer.

Police sources said two Muslim youths have been arrested after police checked tape from security cameras of ATM booths and saw them planting the bombs.

In Muang district, 11 banks were attacked. They were Government Savings Bank (GSB), Bank of Ayudhya (BAY), Krungthai Bank (KTB), two branches of Islamic Bank, Kasikorn Thai Bank, Siam City Bank (SCIB), Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), Thai Military Bank and Siam Commercial Bank (SCB).

In Betong, the BAAC branch, SCB branch, Kasikorn Thai branch, GSB branch and KTB branch were attacked. Another bomb was defused in time at the Bangkok Bank.

In Yaha, the GSB branch and BAAC branch were attacked.

In Bannang Sata, the KTB and BAAC branches were attacked.

In Raman, the KTB and BAAC branches were hit by the bombs.

A source from the Siam City Bank in Yala downtown said an official received a phone call, saying a bomb had been planted near the manager's room.

The caller told the bank to evacuate its employees immediately but the bomb exploded shortly after the phone was hung up.

A bank official was injured on his arm and bank customers ran for their life after the explosion, the source said.

Sources from security agencies said they have received a tip-off that the militants would launch coordinated attacks in a few days but they expected the attacks would be carried out on Friday.

Somsak Thisarn, the manager of SCB Yala branch, said the Yala Banker Association resolved to have all banks in Yala closed for a day.

Sanya Suwanpho, chairman of the Yala Teachers Federation, said some schools decided to close for fear that militants would shift attacks to schools after the banks.

He said parents and teachers had learnt that the militants would launch attacks on August 31 to mark the formation of the Bersatu terrorist umbrella group.

Lt Gen Ongkorn Thongprasom, commander of the Fourth Army Area, said all army forces in Yala had been deployed to control the situation shortly after the attacks

--The Nation 2006-08-31

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Additional aftermath photos of the wave of bank bombings throughout Yala Province provided by AP and AFP:

[newworks]

what are they hoping to accomplish with this stuff?

[Samui Coconut]

Its sickening !!!!

[Membrane]

what are they hoping to accomplish with this stuff?

They are instigating a fight. If you ignore them or try to make peace, they keep instigating until your react. If you dare fight back, then they claim you are making war against Islam(!), which they can in turn, use to 1) justify more terrorist actions and 2) recruit other angry Muslim extremists to their cause. It's a catch 22...

Ultimately, they want to turn Thailand into part of the Islamic Super State, planned by Jemaah Islamiyah. Read the Wiki here.

Edited August 31, 2006 by Membrane

[Losangels]

I'm waiting for statements about to be made by the authorities about this incident.

Won't be surprised that what would be mentioned will be along the line of we know who is behind this and will have them arrested within--------days. Every thing is under control blah blah blah

[cclub75]

They are instigating a fight. If you ignore them or try to make peace, they keep instigating until your react. If you dare fight back, then they claim you are making war against Islam(!), which they can in turn, use to 1) justify more terrorist actions and 2) recruit other angry Muslim extremists to their cause. It's a catch 22..

It could be true.

But what about the conspiracy theory ?

As I said in another post : since 2 years and half thai security services (police and military) have achieved nothing.

No arrests, no legal actions, no negociations. They've just committed 2 massacres (mosquee and the trucks).

We don't even (officially) know WHO is responsible !

I mean such a black hole defies gravity laws.

I start to think that they don't really want to curb the "insurgency"...

We were thinking that the "troubles in the south" were bad for Thaksin from a political point of view.

But is it really true ? By seeing thoses bombs on TV, what can think the average thai voter : "let's support Thaksin so the government can fight back"....

[newworks]

what are they hoping to accomplish with this stuff?

They are instigating a fight. If you ignore them or try to make peace, they keep instigating until your react. If you dare fight back, then they claim you are making war against Islam(!), which they can in turn, use to 1) justify more terrorist actions and 2) recruit other angry Muslim extremists to their cause. It's a catch 22...

Ultimately, they want to turn Thailand into part of the Islamic Super State, planned by Jemaah Islamiyah. Read the Wiki here.

yes; mine was a bit of a rhetorical question. :-) i am well aware of the intentions these people, and i can tell you that i have been concerned about it for some time. this development, along with the one last week about the huge new "arab town" to be built here in bangkok, give me a very, very bad feeling. but just wait a while, membrane; there will be a bunch of people coming up here any minute saying "no, no! the issues in the south are economic ones; not religious ones!", blah, blah, blah...

to those people, let me pose the question right how: how does bombing banks address and/or improve economic issues?

[fruittbatt]

The person who died was an army major. Is today army payday, and if so is it likely that there would have been a lot of military personnel in the banks, making them specific targets?

[Mr_Pedantic]

Wouldn't the world be a whole lot more peaceful without the Islam religion. As inoffensive as the religion is supposed to be it's followers seem to contradict it at every opportunity.

[fruittbatt]

Wouldn't the world be a whole lot more peaceful without the Islam religion. As inoffensive as the religion is supposed to be it's followers seem to contradict it at every opportunity.

there are strong political and economic issues at stake here. I sincerely hope this thread will not degenerate into another occasion for untramelled and unintelligent Islamophobia

[jdinasia]

what are they hoping to accomplish with this stuff?

They are instigating a fight. If you ignore them or try to make peace, they keep instigating until your react. If you dare fight back, then they claim you are making war against Islam(!), which they can in turn, use to 1) justify more terrorist actions and 2) recruit other angry Muslim extremists to their cause. It's a catch 22...

Ultimately, they want to turn Thailand into part of the Islamic Super State, planned by Jemaah Islamiyah. Read the Wiki here.

Apparently you don't know much about the history of the region! These people have little in common with the Thai people historically, culturally, liguistically etc. The land was ceded to Thailand in 1902. They feel more ties with Malaysia but feel abandoned by them too.

Therefore your simplistic observations that boil down to nothing but an anti-muslim rant just don't make sense!

There is no easy solution to this issue which makes me sad!

The other thing that is bothering me is that the few folks that are doing this are getting more organized and ramping things up pretty quickly

Edited August 31, 2006 by jdinasia

[Bangkok Barry]

I've said this before - if they want their own independent state, let them have it. Let them then provide their own water and electricity and oil supplies, their own buses and trains and airport and airline, their own tax system, their own education system, their own postal system, their own food supply system, setting up their own radio and tv stations. And let them try trading independently with the rest of the world.

Go ahead. A little like Zimbabwe tried to do, running the farms themselves (ie one race only). See how long they last.

And, if Islam is supposed to be such a peace-loving religion (which might make it unique), why is there so little condemnation of these quasi-terrorists from their religious leaders?

[newworks]

But what about the conspiracy theory ?

Yeah - I suspect Elvis and bloke on the grassy knoll are behind it.

[fruittbatt]

I've said this before - if they want their own independent state, let them have it. Let them then provide their own water and electricity and oil supplies, their own buses and trains and airport and airline, their own tax system, their own education system, their own postal system, their own food supply system, setting up their own radio and tv stations. And let them try trading independently with the rest of the world.

Go ahead. A little like Zimbabwe tried to do, running the farms themselves (ie one race only). See how long they last.

And, if Islam is supposed to be such a peace-loving religion (which might make it unique), why is there so little condemnation of these quasi-terrorists from their religious leaders?

Surely the challenge to Thai government is one of making adequate provision for and protection of the interests of minorities...rather than fuelling the fire by such actions as the military's suffocating a truckload of militants last year. It seems that these bombings may have been targeted- yet again- against the army.

[newworks]

I've said this before - if they want their own independent state, let them have it. Let them then provide their own water and electricity and oil supplies, their own buses and trains and airport and airline, their own tax system, their own education system, their own postal system, their own food supply system, setting up their own radio and tv stations. And let them try trading independently with the rest of the world.

Go ahead. A little like Zimbabwe tried to do, running the farms themselves (ie one race only). See how long they last.

you make good points, but would it really be practical?

And, if Islam is supposed to be such a peace-loving religion (which might make it unique), why is there so little condemnation of these quasi-terrorists from their religious leaders?

yes! why??? i have my own opinion, but i fear that if i air it here i will be accused of muslim-bashing.

[Pui]

Me thinks this is more to do with anti thaksin than any religious motive. There seems to be a lot more going on here than simply muslims wanting there own state.

[newworks]

what are they hoping to accomplish with this stuff?

They are instigating a fight. If you ignore them or try to make peace, they keep instigating until your react. If you dare fight back, then they claim you are making war against Islam(!), which they can in turn, use to 1) justify more terrorist actions and 2) recruit other angry Muslim extremists to their cause. It's a catch 22...

Ultimately, they want to turn Thailand into part of the Islamic Super State, planned by Jemaah Islamiyah. Read the Wiki here.

Apparently you don't know much about the history of the region! These people have little in common with the Thai people historically, culturally, liguistically etc. The land was ceded to Thailand in 1902. They feel more ties with Malaysia but feel abandoned by them too.

Therefore your simplistic observations that boil down to nothing but an anti-muslim rant just don't make sense!

There is no easy solution to this issue which makes me sad!

The other thing that is bothering me is that the few folks that are doing this are getting more organized and ramping things up pretty quickly

yes, they are getting organized, and i bet they are just counting the days until all that saudi wahabi money comes flowing into the capitol.

and why aren't other "historically, culturally, linguistically" dissimilar regions of the country (like, say, isan or the far north) agitating for their own state?

[jdinasia]

Well ..... If/when the central government starts letting the provinces elect their own people to the top slots etc .... it may well begin to improve! That was supposed to have been accomplished already but is operating on 'Thai Time'

and for the bigots ...... please leave it off of ThaiVisa. I am sure there are other places you can make anti-Muslim rants and be cool ....

[jdinasia]

yes, they are getting organized, and i bet they are just counting the days until all that saudi wahabi money comes flowing into the capitol.

and why aren't other "historically, culturally, linguistically" dissimilar regions of the country (like, say, isan or the far north) agitating for their own state?

Because those other areas are NOT historically, linguistically or culturally very dissimilar. (All speak Tai languages, all have incredibly similar cultures, all have history together going WAY back.)

[Backpack_thailand]

Apparently you don't know much about the history of the region! These people have little in common with the Thai people historically, culturally, liguistically etc. The land was ceded to Thailand in 1902. They feel more ties with Malaysia but feel abandoned by them too.

Now is the time. If they want their independence just let tham have it! Once they have it offer no trade or business ties and see how long it takes before they come crawling back.

In truth, these people don't really want indpendence, it would scare the cr@p out of them. They would have nothing to fight over. At the moment it's a convenient arguement to carry on with the violence in the name of "politics". Take away that reason and then it will be just purely criminal acts of violence.

It's in their culture and upbringing to hate everyone outside of their own belief system. Until drastic action is taken it will remain so for the forseeable future.

Cast them away, let them have what they claim they want! East Timor gained it's independence from Indonesia and look at the state they are in now.

[Bangkok Barry]

Of course it wouldn't be practical, in the same way as getting unskilled labour trying to run Zimbabwe's farms wasn't.

But they want to do things their own way, apart from Thailand. Let them try it. You know they'd fail. I know they'd fail. But they don't seem to. Let them have what they want (ie self-destruction) and then innocent people who want to be Thai wouldn't live their life in fear.

[fruittbatt]

To those who cry "Muslim" every time a small group of extremist separatists take extreme actions in bombing, booby-trapping, shooting in the south of Thailand....let me ask you this:

why don't you also cry "Hindu" every time the Tamil Tigers take similar actions?

why don't you also cry "Buddhist" when the Sinhalese government kills 17 tsunami aid workers or the Thai army kills 70+ southern thai men by suffocation in an army truck/

why don't you cry "Jew" everytime Israelis invade Palestine or Lebanon

why don't you cry "Christian" when George Bush & his witless coalition invade Irag, Afghanistan and re-colonise the world via FTA's?

[Backpack_thailand]

Me thinks this is more to do with anti thaksin than any religious motive. There seems to be a lot more going on here than simply muslims wanting there own state.

Absolute B0ll0ocks! It's just a convenient excuse to kill innocent people! If it wasn't a political agenda it would be a religious agenda.

They're educated to hate every "outsider". We are all evil...!!! Speaking to Muslim friends in the south (good people!) the education system is designed to turn Muslim kids into Muslim adults, nothing more nothing less!

[Membrane]

and for the bigots ...... please leave it off of ThaiVisa. I am sure there are other places you can make anti-Muslim rants and be cool ....

I am certainly no bigot. And I will never be silenced when a specific group keeps terrorizing and murdering innocent Thai people--and that group just happens to be a group of Islamic terrorists in the south.

So play whatever card you wish--a race card, whatever it might be. You will not destort the truth and you will never shut me up or keep me from spotlighting the truth.

[Membrane]

To those who cry "Muslim" every time a small group of extremist separatists take extreme actions in bombing, booby-trapping, shooting in the south of Thailand

OH, well LET ME THINK... Could it be because they ARE MUSLIM???

[george]

Yala schools forced to cancel classes following bomb attacks

YALA: -- Several schools in Yala province were forced to suspend classes as parents rushed to collect their children following simultaneous bomb attacks at several banks in the province on Thursday.

Parents were worried about their children's safety out of concern that schools would be the next target of the suspected militants.

The bombings in Yala killed at least two people and injured many others.

Sanya Suwanphoe, president of the Teachers' Federation of Yala, said the attacks caused chaos among parents in the province.

"Many parents rushed to pick up their children from schools. Many schools had to cancel their classes. It is likely that parents will not allow their children to come to school in the next few days," Sanya said.

Authorities are following the situation closely before deciding whether to order the schools to open.

Wicharn Atikapan, president of the Teachers Federation in the South, said the schools should be closed because teachers and students could become targets.

"Teachers and students could be taken hostage by the suspected militants. They should stay away from any danger," he said.

--The Nation 2006-08-31

[jdinasia]

Have ANY of you people been to Yala, Songkla or Naritiwat?

If those saying just let them have it they'll fail <etc etc etc> have been there then you'd know better!

The infrastructure is there. There are major cities! Plenty of labor! Great natural resources!

Barry ... you really should go down to the Far South of Thailand some time!

[jdinasia]

and for the bigots ...... please leave it off of ThaiVisa. I am sure there are other places you can make anti-Muslim rants and be cool ....

I am certainly no bigot. And I will never be silenced when a specific group keeps terrorizing and murdering innocent Thai people--and that group just happens to be a group of Islamic terrorists in the south.

So play whatever card you wish--a race card, whatever it might be. You will not destort the truth and you will never shut me up or keep me from spotlighting the truth.

ummmm yes you ARE a bigot. watch any of the INTELLIGENT posers on this topic .... they'll speak out against terrorists bombings etc ... hel_l you can even skip Intelligent as a pre-req! Even Bush doesn't paint all Muslims with the same brush!

[rocky]

Wouldn't the world be a whole lot more peaceful without the Islam religion. As inoffensive as the religion is supposed to be it's followers seem to contradict it at every opportunity.

that is a very ignorant remark, i would imagine you have very little understanding about islam or of the world, its requirments and differences across the world, The very remark you have made is part of the greater problem right now. Ignorant people.

Any bombing and killing is terrible and this atack was sickening. It wasnt the Islamic faith that comitted this terrible crime, it was a group of people.

I am Christian and have many Islamic friends, my islamic friends would find this attack terrible, they would disagree with this totally.

This reply is not a direct attack on the original writer but remarks made against anyone who would wish any religion or way of live changed.

Peace

[fruittbatt]

To those who cry "Muslim" every time a small group of extremist separatists take extreme actions in bombing, booby-trapping, shooting in the south of Thailand

OH, well LET ME THINK... Could it be because they ARE MUSLIM???

selective quotation which distorts the meaning of my post....not a very clever ploy, but indicative of your inability to tolerate alternative views