Quote:
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Originally Posted by Greenhat
I suggest a little research into the success of the anti-Communist operations in Thailand in the 70s and early 80s, especially the establishment of economic situations that created incentives for the population to not tolerate the insurgents.
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Gotta love the work, because its never done, is it?
NARATHIWAT TARGETED
The Nation
13 November 2004
Don Pathan
At least 16 hurt in three separate blasts, defence weapons stolen in raids on villages
On the worst day for the deep South since the deadly Tak Bai events, three explosions injured at least 16 people, militants stole an arms cache from security volunteers and a martial arts teacher was shot dead in broad daylight.
Most of the attacks were here in Narathiwat province.
A powerful bomb exploded at about 6pm at the Angmor Restaurant owned by a Chinese-Thai in Narathiwat's Muang (city) district, damaging the front of the restaurant and shattering glass as far as 30 metres across the street. At least 16 people were seriously injured.
Police said a person posing as a customer left an explosives-filled bag behind a refrigerator in the restaurant and detonated it via mobile phone after leaving. The restaurant is a favourite with ethnic Thais and Chinese in the province.
An hour later, another bomb went off at the Surin motorbike shop in Tak Bai, the district where the deadly October 25 crackdown on Muslim protesters occurred. There were no reports of casualties.
Another bomb went off at a military checkpoint at 8pm in the province's Bacho district but no one was injured.
Assailants attacked villages in Narathiwat's Chanae, Bacho, Sukhirin and Rangae districts, stealing at least nine shotguns from village defence volunteers. A villager and two soldiers were injured during attacks in Chanae district.
A military vehicle was attacked in Rangae district and the attackers placed spikes on main roads to thwart any pursuers, causing flat tires to at least 20 vehicles on the road connecting Bacho and Narathiwat town.
Experts managed to defuse a bomb found near the fence of Ban Yi-ngor School in Yi-ngor district, next to the residential quarters of the local police station.
A Buddhist couple narrowly escaped a shooting in the evening in Joh I Rong district. Dee Suksabai, 67, and his wife Borseang Suksabai, 51, were uninjured, an eyewitness said.
Yesterday's violence in Narathiwat was most likely the biggest coordinated attack after the uprising on April 28, when 106 Islamic militants were killed after a pre-dawn assault against security posts in Pattani, Yala and Songkhla.
While violence continued unabated, Narathiwat governor Pracha Terat offered to send two security officials to each family in the province who requested protection.
The chief of Rusoh district, Thanawat Buranapipop, said the district would ask for security officials to guard villagers when they went rubber tapping and urged villagers to go in groups for safety.
In the adjacent province of Pattani, an unidentified assailant on a motorcycle threw a Molotov ____tail into a Muslim restaurant in Muang district, slightly damaging the shop but causing no injuries.
Pirom Chumchuan, 37, the restaurant's owner, said he received a warning the shop would be bombed if he continued to sell food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when the faithful are expected to fast during daylight hours. However, he ignored the warning.
In a separate incident, Hiran Khongchareon, 45, a Buddhist martial-arts teacher, died after being shot in the head while riding a motorcycle in Pattani's Yarang district.
Meanwhile, Pattani governor Chertphan Na Songkhla yesterday instructed district officials to urge village defence volunteers to keep their government-issued shotguns after 26 guns were returned to the Pattani authorities.
Village defence volunteers feared possession of government weapons could make them targets for militants.
Don Pathan
The Nation
NARATHIWAT