Despite the violence, situation has improved in the far south
By the News Desk of Isra Institute
Suspected militants carried out a series of bombing and shooting attacks, leaving three people dead and more than a dozen injured on December 8-9 during the visit to the Deep South by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The first violent incident took place at about 9.56 p.m. on Tuesday night in Ban Taliang, Tak Bai district of Narathiwat when a roadside bomb was detonated as a patrol unit was passing through. The explosion killed Pvt Suthad Chusenpom and seriously injured Sgt Suthin Thepnimit.
Before dawn the next morning, suspected militants detonated a roadside bomb with a radio transmitter as a group of police and defence volunteers were walking back to their parked vehicle after having cleared the road in Krong Penang district of Yala of tyre-puncturing spikes. Pol Lt-Col Chalerm Sriwong, deputy inspector for suppression, and two defence volunteers were injured by the blast.
At about 7 a.m. a roadside bomb exploded in Kok Po district of Pattani as a foot patrol unit providing protection to teachers was approaching the scene. Luckily, noone was hurted. But one and a half hours later in Yee-ngo district of Narathiwat, two army officers were seriously injured when a booby-trapped bomb went off as one of the officers tried to remove a placard believed to be hung by suspected militants.
At about 10.10 a.m. in Yala municipality, a second bomb went off, believed to be detonated by remote control as a team of bomb disposal officers were trying to defuse another suspected bomb hidden near a pavilion. Three officers were injured.
About ten minutes later, also in Yala’s Muang district, a roadside bomb was detonated as a pick-up truck carrying Mr Nuparb Maneechote, the deputy district chief, and his men were approaching the spot while on their way to investigate a bombing incident in the suburbs. A defence volunteer sustained a broken ear drum.
At about 10.30 a.m. in Yala’s Muang district, one bomb disposal officer was killed and four others injured when a bomb went off about five metres away from where the first bomb was found and defused by the same team.
At about 1.15 p.m., a bomb went off at a traffic police checkpoint in Yala’s Muang district just opposite the provincial hospital. Noone was injured. Two more suspected bombs were located and destroyed by a water cannon.
At about 6.45 p.m. in Sungai Padi district of Narathiwat, suspected militants opened fire at a restaurant which was full of customers. As security forces arrived at the scene to investigate, a bomb which was hidden in a parked motorcycle was detonated. One woman, Ms Arabee Sama-ae, was killed and more than a dozen injured.
Pol Lt-Gen Thiradej Rodpothong, the assistant police chief, said suspected militants managed to carry out a series of violent incidents because there was a big security lapse as a large number of security forces had been deployed to provide protection to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Malaysian counterpart who were visiting the restive region.
“It is just like whenever there is a mass protest in Bangkok, the number of petty crimes such as thefts will increase as most police force are employed to keep a close watch on the protesters,” he explained.
Pol Lt-Gen Thiradej however noted that the message: Pattani is part of Malaysia; written on several placards found in the region was intended to provoke misunderstanding between Thailand and Malaysia.
Special Branch police sources however insisted that despite the spate of violent incidents on December 8-9, the general situation in the strife-torn region has improved considerably with monks now are able to get out of the temples to receive alms while more Buddhists go out to provide alms.
The military, meanwhile, said its men had more access to the local people and were increasingly welcomed by the locals. The sufficiency economy, in particular, was warmly received by the people.