Latest attack a remake of the gun robbery on January 4, 2004

The attack of an army outpost in Ra-nage district of Narathiwat by suspected Islamic insurgents was a replay of an incident seven years ago when militants attacked an army armoury in Cho-airong district of the same province on January 4, 2004 and robbed more than 400 pieces of firearms, including many M16 assault rifles.

This time around, the insurgents made off with more than 50 war weapons, including at least an M60 light machinegun.  Four soldiers were killed, including an army caption, and six others were wounded. The dead victims were identified as Cpt Krit Kampeerayarn, commander of the 15121st infantry company, Sgt Thaevarat Theva, Sgt Abdulloh Dayee and Pvt Jintana Nuttana.  Earlier report that six troopers were killed was a result of miscommunication.

It was not known how many insurgents were killed or wounded in the daring attack – the worst since January 4, 2004 which was likened to the “Gun Explosion Day” of the now disbanded Communist Party of Thailand – a symbolic day when the Communists fired the opening shots to mark the start of the armed insurgency.

More than 30 insurgents were involved in the attack of the army outpost in Tambon Maruebotok.  At the time, it was manned by about 80 troops, most of whom were scattering after they had just finished with their dinner and, therefore, they were caught off-guards by the insurgents, according to an informed source in the branch office of Internal Security Operations Command of the Fourth Army Region.

The source said that about ten insurgents first launched their attack at the front of the outpost by firing with their war weapons at the sentries guarding the premise.  The frontal attack was believed to be a diversion which succeeded in drawing most of the troops in the camp to rush to the front to fend off the surprise assault.

Shortly afterward, another band of insurgents, numbering about 20, stormed the outpost from behind as they moved toward the armoury which was then lightly guarded.  A firefight ensued but, in the end, the raiders managed to reach the armoury and took away more than 50 war weapons, including several M16 assault rifles, Uzi submachineguns and an M60 light machinegun, the first ever captured by the insurgents.

To prevent troop reinforcements from helping the besieged soldiers, the insurgents adopted their trademark tactic by scattering spikes and felling trees to block the main road leading to the army outpost.   As a consequence, reinforcements had to be flown in by a helicopter.

The same ISOC source said that the attack of the armoury in Ra-nage district was a well-planned special operation by the insurgents and the raiders were mobilized from different districts.

Although the main objective of the daring attack was believed to be the war weapons in the armoury, it was also meant for other purposes: to challenge the government and to prove wrong the government’s claim that it is making a progress in dealing with the insurgency problem, to provoke retaliation from security forces and to undermine the government’s plan to lift emergency rule in the restive region.

This morning, more than 1,000 troops, police and defence volunteers were mobilized to conduct a manhunt for the insurgents suspected to have fled to two mountains in Ra-nage district.  

As far as death toll involving members of the security force was concerned, there were five deadly incidents in which several soldiers were killed since 2007.

-    May 9, 2007.  Seven troopers attached to a special psy-war unit were killed in an ambush by suspected insurgents in Ra-nage district of Narathiwat.
-    May 31, 2007.  Eleven paramilitary rangers were killed in Bannang Sata district of Yala in a roadside bomb explosion and ambush by suspected insurgents.
-    June 15, 2007.  25 members of the security force, including security teams for teachers, were killed in three separate incidents in Bannang Sata district of Yala.
-    January 14, 2008.  Eight soldiers of a security unit tasked with protecting teachers were killed in Janae district of Narathiwat.
-    July 1, 2010.  Five members of  the security force were killed in a bomb explosion and ambush by suspected insurgents in Ruesoe district of Narathiwat.