Thaksin Cancels Europe Trip After Bomb Attack

[george]

Thai PM cancels Europe trip after bomb attack

BANGKOK: - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra cancelled on Sunday official visits to several European countries after a weekend bomb attack wounded nearly 30 people in the country's Muslim south.

Thaksin, whose government has struggled to contain a wave of violence in the region since January, was due to leave on Monday for a six-day trip to Germany and Hungary.

He also cancelled visits to Sweden, Finland, Italy and the United Kingdom scheduled for next month. The decision was announced after an emergency security meeting chaired by Thaksin at his residence on Sunday.

"They (security officials) agreed that the prime minister should stay in the country because this is a transition period for solving problems in the south," foreign ministry official Sihasak Phuanketkeow told reporters.

Foreign terror groups are not suspected in the bombing of a karaoke bar in the popular tourist town of Sunghai Kolok near the Thai-Malaysian border, officials said after the security meeting.

No one has claimed responsibility for the first attack on civilians since the violence began in January when gunmen raided a southern army camp, killed four soldiers and stole weapons.

Some officials believe the violence, which has killed more than 60 people in the region, may be due to a resurgence of a low-key separatist war fought in the 1970s and 1980s in an area home to most of Thailand's six million Muslims.

Thailand blames a mixture of separatists and gangsters in a region also notorious for smuggling arms and drugs.

Thai clampdown after bombing

BANGKOK: -- Thailand clamped tight security on its restive Muslim south on Sunday after a bomb exploded outside a bar, wounding 29 people in the first major attack on a civilian target since a wave of violence began in January.

Security forces set up roadblocks in and around the Thai-Malaysian border town of Sunghai Kolok where seven Malaysian tourists were among those injured when the bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded outside a karaoke bar.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack in Narathiwat province, one of three provinces under martial law since gunmen attacked a southern army camp in January, killed four soldiers and made off with many weapons.

"We have strengthened our security in the province. It's still not clear who did this," said police spokesman Chanpol Chaiyadej.

He denied reports that one of the Malaysian tourists had died. Thirteen people were still in hospital.

Most of the injured were bar girls and waitresses working at the Top Ten club, an open-air bar next to the Marina Hotel in the border town popular with Malaysian tourists.

Police suspected the bomb had been detonated remotely.

More than 60 people have been killed in the region, where many of Thailand's six million Muslims live, since the January army raid. Many of the attacks have been carried out by people on motorcycles.

Some officials believe the violence may be part of a resurgence of a low-key separatist war in the 1970s and 1980s. The government blames a mixture of separatists and gangsters in a region also notorious for smuggling arms and drugs.

Chief government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair condemned the attack, which he said was the first to target civilians in the southern violence. Previous attacks have been aimed at police or government officials and buildings.

"They are now taking aim at the lives of innocent people rather than the symbols of government," he said late on Saturday.

"This will justify the government's use of force. The only way to suppress them is by deploying violent means against them."

Muslim leaders have asked the government to lift martial law, which they say is disrupting economic life in a region heavily dependent on rubber tapping and fishing, which involves moving around at night.

The government says it is imposing martial law with as light a hand as it can and issues frequent appeals for people to come forward with information on who is behind the killings.

--Reuters 2004-03-28

[mango head]

I wonder why there have been no Muslim leaders condemning the attacks? Did I miss something? Don't these people realize that setting off bombs and killing innocent people does nothing to further their agenda? I f this situation is allowed to escalate, it would be truly tragic for the kingdom.

[george]

Three of 10 Malaysians injured in Thai blast in serious condition

SUNGAI GOLOK: -- Three of the 10 Malaysians injured in the bomb attack on a bar here last night are in serious condition.

Mat Zami Ismail, 25, Abdul Shukor Ghani, 40, both from Rantau Panjang, and Toh Kim Peng, from Jertih, Terengganu, were admitted to the intensive care unit at the Golok district hospital with abdominal injuries.

Other Malaysians hospitalised were Nawi Abdul Kadir, 50, Ismail Che Pa, 49, Kamaruzaman Jusoh, 39, all from Rantau Panjang, and Siow Gan Fui, 40, from Kuala Lumpur. Three other Malaysians were unidentified.

The blast, which tore through a strip of bars behind Marina Hotel Sungai Golok, a 15-minute walk from the Malaysian Immigration and Customs complex, injured 28 people. Thai police said the bomb was placed on a motorcycle near the bar.

The attack appeared to be the latest violent act in southern Thailand by militants challenging the rule of the Government.

Until last night, the militants had targeted government officials, police and army officers and Buddhist monks. This was the first time an attack had been directed against civilians.

Kamaruzaman, who ferries goods between Sungai Golok and Rantau Panjang, said he had gone to the bar for a drink with three friends and was dancing when the explosion occurred.

"I thought the speakers exploded but I suddenly felt pain in my legs and body," he said at the hospital.

Nawi, who was injured in the leg and shoulder, said they had been in the bar only a few minutes when the bomb exploded.

"I ran out of the bar and fell," he said. "I was helped by rescuers and taken to hospital." Southern Thai police commissioner Lt-Gen Prungboon Padung said witnesses saw two men leaving the motorcycle outside the bar. "We have their sketches but there have been no arrests." The area was today sealed off by Thai police and soldiers but reporters and photographers were allowed access. Several damaged motorcycles were scattered about, with one particular machine, believed to have been the one with the bomb, ripped apart.

The front of the bar and the roof were slightly damaged. Food from last night's dinner was still on the tables of stalls near the bar.

A Sungai Golok Chinese Temple committee member, who wanted to be identified only as Lee, said he was inside his office nearby when he heard the explosion.

"When I ran out to check, I saw many people lying on the ground outside the bar," he said. "We made three trips with our van to send the injured to hospital." The business community in this tourist district is worried. Kelantan police chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Nawi has ordered security tightened along the border and directed the General Operations Force and marine police to conduct continuous surveillance.

-New Straits Times, MY 2004-03-29

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I wonder why there have been no Muslim leaders condemning the attacks? Did I miss something? Don't these people realize that setting off bombs and killing innocent people does nothing to further their agenda? I f this situation is allowed to escalate, it would be truly tragic for the kingdom.

He might declare 'em all drug dealers and eradicate 'em

[andy50]

I wonder why there have been no Muslim leaders condemning the attacks? Did I miss something? Don't these people realise that setting off bombs and killing innocent people does nothing to further their agenda? I f this situation is allowed to escalate, it would be truly tragic for the kingdom.

its the same here in the UK mango, very few ,if any Muslims ,actually condemn these attacks, i wonder why?

[george]

He might declare 'em all drug dealers and eradicate 'em

Great idea! And then just move the Thai-Malaysian border just south of Phuket. That would solve the problem.

[Dove]

I wonder why there have been no Muslim leaders condemning the attacks? Did I miss something? Don't these people realize that setting off bombs and killing innocent people does nothing to further their agenda?

So how many of those leaders that condemn this act were Christrians or Hindus or Buddhist or Zionist.

Let's stop this religious labelling.

Killing is wrong in all religions. Man only use the name of God in vain to kill.These killers are just radicals.

[valentinoxxx]

I wonder why there have been no Muslim leaders condemning the attacks? Did I miss something? Don't these people realise that setting off bombs and killing innocent people does nothing to further their agenda? I f this situation is allowed to escalate, it would be truly tragic for the kingdom.

its the same here in the UK mango, very few ,if any Muslims ,actually condemn these attacks, i wonder why?

How do you know what 'Muslims' are doing?

Are you expecting them to call the newspapers that you read, with condemnations of things that they may have no knowledge of, for your satisfaction?

More bigoted ****.

[BlackJack]

it doesnt matter whose doing it

it would be nice to come up with some ideas on how to stop it

[Moving]

it doesnt matter whose doing it

it would be nice to come up with some ideas on how to stop it

A snake has a head, find it...chop it off, and feed it to the ducks...or better yet to the pigs.

[et33.com]

mmm...

a god of love

that kills at the same time

how interesting

the pathetic fools

who thought

they are killing

for their gods

are just stupid fools

who are being used

by other fools

love is all there is

there is no problem that

love cannot solve

throw in more compassion

and the world will be in harmony

tell me which fools are killing in the names of gods

for so long in history

it goes on in the same pattern

are these fools not sick and tired ?

all religions who kill are in fact misled fools

[BlackJack]

someone sends me muslim mail everyday

i asked them to stop

but they wont take me off their list

heres their latest little offering

‘We shall guide you onto the smoothest path. Then invite the people of Mecca to follow that path-if they will listen.’ Those who honour God, will accept the invitations; but wicked sinners will refuse it. Wicked sinners will be cast into the raging fire, where they will neither live nor die. Happy are those who purify themselves of sin, who remember the name of the Lord, and who pray to him.

-Qur'an, Al-A'la, Surah 87:8-15

From "366 Readings From Islam," translated

[aaaaaa]

it doesnt matter whose doing it

it would be nice to come up with some ideas on how to stop it

I am pretty sure there r a lot of those who can give u many ideas ... but then what? do u have personally means and abilities to implement those ideas or position and power enough to stop it by urself? or u expect that some one esle will do that - thos who supposed to do something about it, who does have powers, position, etc.? but thern don't u think they already do have a lot more ideas and yet somehow it still not being stoped? do u ever wonder why?

just curious... coz u sound like a bit naive... liek if some one starts give ideas - it is almost as good as solved?

if it was like that - the world'd be much safer and easier and peacfull place to live in ! but somehow it isn't...

[sonthaya]

Ban religion, it's the root to all evil in this world.