In remembrance of Muad Shane on the first anniversary of his death
One year on, tears will stream down the eyes of Mrs Nanthawan Warongkapaisit every time the courageous feats of Pol Lt-Gen Shane Warongkapaisit, alias Muad Shane, are mentioned or referred to.
"I am glad there are still people talking about him because that makes me feel that he was not just a seven-day or five-minute hero even if that means I will have to shed tears to talk about him," said Mrs Nanthawan in reference to her late husband, a member of the police bomb demolition squad, codename Yiewdong 60, who was killed while attempt to defuse an improvised explosive device in Bacho district, Narathiwat, on last October 28.
Besides Muad Shane, two other members of his squad Pol Sub-Lt Charoon Mekruang and Pol Sgt-Maj Nimit Deewong were also killed.
Many people suspected that the bomb-maker or makers deliberately intended to eradicate Muad Shane and his teammates so they built a complicated bomb with three circuits that was difficult to be defused.
Recounting the past one year without her husband, Mrs Nanthawan said during the initial stage since the tragedy it was very difficult for her and she had to rely on sleeping pills to get to sleep. She said that she got up late so that she would have to rush to office where she had companions so she would not feel lonely.
Today, Mrs Nanthawan works at a health office in Ban Tor Lang, Ra-nage district of Narathiwat. She lives with her mother and two daughters – one of them a nurse and the other still studying.
"It is the same house she shared with Muad Shane and she does not want to leave. “Everything which belongs to him are still kept at the same places," she said.
She recalled a plan for both of them to go into farming after Muad Shane left his dangerous job. But unfortunately though, the plan was not realized and never will.
But life goes on. Mrs Nanthawan said she managed to carry on with her normal land modest life "because we are not rich and we were not born with silver spoon."
"I am very proud of Phi (brother) Shane because he was a good man for the country, a good government official, an outstanding police officer and the best bomb expert. Most importantly, he sacrificed his life. And when he came home, he was a good father and a family man," she recalled the good memory of her late husband.
During the past ten years of the insurgency war in the Deep South until last year, a total of 339 policemen were killed, including 36 in last year alone. There were altogether 2,764 bombing incidents, excluding bombs which were successfully defused.
Muad Shane and his teammates were responsible for about 300 bomb disposals.
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Caption : Muad Shane