A Bloody Ramadan in Conflict-Torn Thai South

When Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgents detonated a motorcycle bomb at the crowded Bor Thong Market in Thailand’s Pattani province on May 27, they could have foreseen there would be many civilian casualties. But that did not stop them.

The bomb, apparently meant to attack Thai security forces guarding the market, killed two civilians, including a 14-year-old boy, and wounded 18 others. Most of the victims were ethnic Malay Muslims buying food to break their Ramadan fast.

Unlawfully indiscriminate bombings and targeted killings of civilians have been a BRN trademark since they began their armed insurgency in January 2004.

 

Continue reading Human Rights Watch: A Bloody Ramadan in Thailand’s Deep South

Bomb Explodes in conflict-torn Thai South: 2 dead, 23 injured, 400 demand peace.

On Monday (27 May), a bomb exploded in Bo Thong market, Nong Chik District, Pattani Province at 4.15 pm, a time when people were shopping in preparation for the end of the daily Ramadan fast.

Because of the timing, 2 civilians were killed, while 19 civilians and 4 security officials were injured. It was established later that the dead civilians were 14-year-old Aidilfitri Yago and 35-year-old Saripah Ayosae.

400 religious and community leaders, civilians, students, Buddhists and Muslims gathered at Bo Thong market to demonstrate for an end to violence in all forms.

Their representatives made a 3-point statement:

1. All groups must end violence in all forms in the conflict zone.

2. All groups must cause no more harm to innocent people who are not involved.

3. All groups must stop making public spaces such as markets and government offices targets of the insurgency.

Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesperson for the Forward Command of Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC) Region 4, joined the gathering to hold a press conference, providing a summary of the situation, and also an update on identifying the as yet unknown suspects.

 

Continue reading Prachatai English: Bomb Explodes in Pattani: 2 dead, 23 injured, 400 demand peace.

Terror Strikes Thai South: Two dead, 14 hurt in Pattani blast

Two people were killed and 14 others wounded in a motorcycle bomb attack near a fresh market in Nong Chik district of Pattani Monday afternoon, police said.

One of the dead was a 14-year-old teenager identified as Aiyadilfitli Yoko, a resident of tambon Bo Thong. The other was Sareepa Ayohsae, 35, from Betong district in Yala.

Four rangers were among 14 persons who were injured. They were Sgt Maj 1st Class Somphon Limprasoet, Chirasak Kaeo-nopparat, Saidi Yako and Apichat Rakdi.

They were all rushed to Nong Chik Hospital, police said.

The impact of the explosion damaged cars and motorcycles parked nearby and police linked the incident to southern insurgency.

More unrest is feared in the final week of Ramadan, which ends June 4.

Security has been tightened in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and four districts of Songkhla, police said. The districts are Chana, Na Thawi, Thepha and Saba Yoi.

 

Source Bangkok Post: Two dead, 14 hurt in Pattani blast

Suspected Patani Rebel Attacks Kill 4 in Thai South

Masked gunmen kidnapped and shot dead two policemen in Thailand’s Deep South, hours after insurgents were also suspected of detonating a bomb that killed a soldier and wounded two others near a local cemetery, officials said Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, unidentified gunmen shot dead a man in Pattani, one of the provinces in the Deep South, police said.

About eight men in balaclava masks barged into a teashop in Tambon Bukit in Cho I-rong, a district of Narathiwat province on Tuesday evening, and seized the two police officers who were having tea, police quoted witnesses as saying.

“It looked like the attackers dragged them down from a pickup truck, shot them at close range and pushed them into the ditch,” Col. Lukman Boko, chief of the Cho I-rong police station, told reporters.

The brazen abduction and killing of the lawmen was unusual even in Thailand’s volatile southern border region, where security personnel often are targeted randomly in roadside bombings.

“Each was found with bullet wounds to the body and the head,” Lukman said, referring to the policemen whose bodies were found early morning Wednesday about 200 yards from the teashop.

The dead cops were identified as Cpl. Nares Iedthong, 31, and Cpl. Ruswaidi Samae, 30.

“I believe the insurgents stalked the two policemen for some time for them to know that the officers were frequent customers at the teashop,” a police detective, who asked not to identified, told BenarNews. “It seems that they specifically targeted the police officers.”

The assailants, who fled in a stolen pickup truck, seized a rifle and two handguns from the officers who were in plain clothes, investigators said.

Continue reading BenarNews: Suspected Rebel Attacks Kill 4 in Thai Deep South

Thai South: six hurt by bomb explosion in conflict-torn Yala province

Three police officers providing protection for teachers and three local residents were wounded when a bomb detonated in Krong Pinang district on Friday morning.

The bomb blast at Ban Basaweng village in tambon Krong Pinang was reported about 82.5am, said Pol Capt Pongsak Khaonuan, deputy investigation chief at Krong Pinang police station.

The explosion injured three policemen, and three civilians – a man, a woman and a young girl.

Pol Cpl Apinan Talee, Pol Cpl Natthakorn Nontanok and Pol L/C Sharif Nuanduam and the civilians were rushed to hospital.

Police and army rangers were dispatched to secure the scene.

Authorities blamed insurgents.

Source Bangkok Post: Six hurt by Yala bomb blast

Thai South: Insurgents Kill Buddhist Monks

Separatist insurgents in Thailand’s southern border provinces killed two Buddhist monks in an unlawful assault on a temple, Human Rights Watch said today. The deliberate attack on civilians and a place of worship is a war crime.

On January 18, 2019, at about 8:30 p.m., a group of apparent ethnic Malay insurgents attacked Wat Rattananupab temple in Su Ngai Padi district of Narathiwat province, killing two Buddhist monks and wounding two others. Witnesses told Human Rights Watch they saw armed men arrive on motorcycles, open fire with assault rifles at the temple, and then storm inside and shoot the monks at point-blank range. Among those killed was the temple’s abbot, Phra Khru Prachote Rattananurak (real name, Sawang Vethmaha).

“The ghastly attack on Buddhist monks by insurgents in Thailand’s deep south is morally reprehensible and a war crime, and those responsible should be held to account,” said Brad Adams, Asia director. “The insurgents’ 15-year campaign of deliberately attacking Buddhist and Muslim civilians can’t be justified.”

The attack followed a pattern consistent with other insurgent attacks, and heightened fears in Su Ngai Padi district and other parts of the four southern border provinces. Thai authorities have instructed all Buddhist monks in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Songkhla provinces to stay inside temples and cease their daily morning routine of collecting alms.

Continue reading HRW: Thailand: Insurgents Kill Buddhist Monks

‘Delicious Food’ May Have Drawn Terrorists to Thai Hotel in Kenya: General Prawit

Thailand’s deputy junta leader said Wednesday it was “good enough” that no Thais were killed in an apparent terror attack on a Thai-owned hotel complex in Kenya that left at least 14 people dead.

Addressing reporters during a daily morning briefing, Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan’s flippant comment came as the Dusit Thani Co. this afternoon announced its Thai employees were all safe after Tuesday’s heavy assault on Nairobi’s DusitD2 hotel, which it will close temporarily.

“It’s good enough that no Thai people died,” he said. “The Foreign Affairs Ministry is dealing with this.”

A reporter then asked him why he thought a Thai hotel had been targeted.

“I don’t know. Maybe because the food is delicious,” he responded.

Continue reading Khaosod English: ‘Delicious Food’ May Have Drawn Terrorists to Thai Hotel: Prawit