THAILAND Strategy Page
Malay Moslems in the south (three percent of the population and different) continue to cause problems. Most Thais are ethnic Thais and Buddhist. In the south, however, Islamic radicalism has arrived, along with an armed effort to create a separate Islamic state in the three southern provinces. Islamic terrorists grew more powerful month by month for several years and refused to negotiate. Security forces persisted and are making progress in identifying and rounding up the terrorists. But there is no quick victory in sight. Up north, a civil war over military control of the government has been avoided, for the moment.
The following news stories over the past two weeks concern Islamic attacks on sovereign Thailand. All news orgs dance around Islam, jihad, Muslim, but that is what this is. Jihad. News stories thanks to John K, SIO- Thailand
Two volunteers killed in South attack
The Nation
Insurgents attacked a security outpost in Narathiwat on Thursday, killing two civil defence volunteers and wounding three others.
The attackers also took five assault rifles and munitions from the outpost's armoury, where a dud hand grenade was found and a homemade bomb was defused. The wounded people have undergone surgery and are now safe. Those killed were identified as Boreheng Yusho and Asran Abu.
Rusoh district police said there were three teams of ten insurgents each participating in the attack - with one team attacking the outpost, another blocking a nearby police station to stop officers from helping the victims while the last group bringing down several trees to block a road.
-- The Nation 2012-01-07Six dead, police camp raided in Thai south: police
NARATHIWAT, January 6, 2012 (AFP) - More than 30 suspected Muslim rebels attacked a police camp in the Thai south Friday, killing two officers, who were among six left dead by regional violence in less than 24 hours, police said.
The rebels raided a dormitory while officers were sleeping in the early morning raid in Narathiwat province, stealing five heavy guns and bullets. Another three officers were also injured.
"They planned well for this attack, in response to our successful raids which destroyed two of their weapon storehouses in December," said Police Colonel Satanpah Wamasingha, the local police chief.
Also on Friday morning in Narathiwat, gunmen shot dead one man and injured his teacher wife as they were driving a pick-up truck in Sungai Kolok town, police said.
In Pattani province, at around noon, there were two drive-by shooting incidents, killing two men and injuring one other.
Late Thursday in Yala province, a villager was shot dead on his way home from work at a rubber plantation.
According to the latest figures from Deep South Watch, which closely monitors the southern conflict, almost 5,000 people -- both Buddhists and Muslims -- have been killed and 8,300 wounded since the unrest began in 2004.
People in the region complain of a long history of discrimination against ethnic Malay Muslims by authorities in the Buddhist-majority nation, including alleged abuses by the armed forces.
-- ©Copyright AFP 2012-01-06
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This is just an irony piece as the leader of the Muslim party is moderating the national reconciliation process after last year's political violence between the (Buddhist) Red Shirt demonstrators, the (mostly Buddhist) Democratic Party and the (mostly Buddhist) army.
2 Soldiers Killed in Pattani Road Blast
Two military officers were killed in a blast in Pattani Province while traveling to Khao Wang Village to give New Year's gifts to residents there.
Police, military officers, and a bomb disposal team rushed to Khao Wang–Klong Chang Road in Koh Chan Subdistrict of Pattani's Mayor District after a blast was reported in the area.
A wrecked four-door pick-up truck was found in a roadside ditch near the bomb scene.
A preliminary investigation indicated that a convoy of four motorcycles and a car carrying nine soldiers was heading for Khao Wang Village in Krasoh Subdistrict to give New Year's gifts to locals there, when it was struck by the explosion one kilometer away from the base.
First Lieutenant Direksin Rattanasin and Sergeant Yutthaya Jampamee were seriously wounded and later succumbed to their injuries at a hospital at the Ingkayut Borihan military camp.
The blast carved a one-meter deep hole into the road.
Investigators presume the attacker planted a booby-trap bomb of approximately 15 kilograms under the road surface and detonated it through an electrical wire.Investigators believe the bombing was carried by an alliance of the RKK militant group in reaction to the arrest of two RKK leaders last Sunday.
-- Tan Network 2012-01-04
One killed, six injured in South attacks
The Nation
Many violent incidents erupted in the South yesterday, killing a defence volunteer and injuring six soldiers.
An unidentified gunman opened fire at Kasaman Sadeemae, 23yearold village defence volunteer, in front of his home in Yala's Raman district early yesterday.
Kasaman was about to leave his home when a motorcycle stopped and the passenger opened fire at him. The victim later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Police believed the attack was yet another attempt by insurgents to fan unrest in the deep South.
In Pattani, unknown attackers fired M79 grenades at a military base in Thung Yang Daeng district. Four soldiers there sustained minor injuries and were treated at the Pattani Hospital.
At about 8.10am, a bomb went off on Highway 410 in Yarang district injuring two soldiers.
-- The Nation 2011-12-31
Soldier killed, another hurt in Yala
The Nation
A soldier was killed and another injured when a roadside bomb exploded early yesterday in Yala's Yaha district. Police suspect Islamic separatists led by Saudi Satapor were behind the attack.
Sergeant Major First Class Pradit Saranatrai, 52, and Private Yutthana Daraporn, 22, were rushed to Somdet Prayupparaj Yaha Hospital, where the former succumbed to his injuries.
Pradit was leading the six-strong motorcycle team escorting teachers from Ban Katong School when the 5-kilogram bomb exploded at 7.48am at Ban Kakong Bridge in Tambon Katong.
Yaha police investigators believe insurgency leader Saudi Satapor, who operates in Yaha and Katong districts, was behind the attack. Saudi is wanted for many national security cases including a bomb attack that killed two monks and injured two soldiers in Tambon Baro in May and another bomb attack that killed nine people in Tambon Katong in January.
Meanwhile, a village headman-assistant, Romeulee Maseng, 47, was shot at 2am yesterday in Tambon Ai Yer Weng in Yala's Betong district. Romeulee had apparently stopped by a teashop on the Yala-Betong Road after running errands in Bannang Sata district. Two gunmen on a motorcycle also stopped at the teashop and one, pretending to be a customer, shot at Romeulee three times, hitting him in the arm, the stomach and the leg. Romeulee fired back but the gunmen escaped.
Police suspect the attack stemmed from a local political conflict, as Romeulee had acted as a canvasser for the Tambon Administrative Organisation President in the recent election, although they did not totally rule out personal conflict and insurgency in the South.
-- The Nation 2011-12-28Southern Army chief wants to retain state of emergency in deep South
The Nation
Fourth Army Area Commander Lt Gen Udomchai Thamsarojrat Tuesday expressed opposition to the call for the government to lift the state of emergency in southern border provinces.
Udomchai said the emergency decree provided a tool for the Army to keep insurgents in control.
He said the decree allowed the authorities to detain suspected insurgents for up to six months, and thus allowing the authorities to learn the moves of insurgency movement.
-- The Nation 2011-12-27
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Village headman-assistant shot, injured in Yala
The Nation
A village headman-assistant, Romeulee Maseng, 47, was shot and injured at 2am Tuesday in Tambon Ai Yer Weng, Betong district, Yala.
Romeulee had apparently stopped by a teashop on the YalaBetong Road after running errands in Bannang Sata district.
Two gunmen on a motorcycle also stopped at the teashop and one, pretending to be a customer, shot at Romeulee three times, hitting him in the arm, the stomach and the leg. Romeulee fired back but the gunmen escaped.
Police suspect the attack stemmed from a local political conflict, as Romeulee had acted as a canvasser for the Tambon Administrative Organisation President in the recent election, although they didn’t totally rule out personal conflict and southern violence.
-- The Nation 2011-12-27
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One soldier killed, another wounded, in Yala teacher patrol ambush
YALA, Dec 27 - One Thai Army soldier in a teacher protection unit was killed and another was wounded in a bomb ambush this morning in the southern border province of Yala.
Sergeant Major 1st Class Pradit Saranatri, head of the teacher protection unit, led his motorcycle-mounted team of six men as security for teachers travelling to school in the morning.
The roadside bomb was triggered as the Army team crossed a bridge in Yaha district.
The patrol sustained two casualties Sgt Pradit and Private Yutthana Daraporn, who were both wounded. Pte Yutthana was pronounced dead at hospital after succumbing to severe wounds.
Investigating police found an overturned military motorcycle and spent shell casings of the soldiers who returned gunfire at their assailants.
About one metre wide hole was initially presumed to be caused by a remote–controlled explosive device weighing about five kilograms.
Police believe that Sa-udee Satapor, a Yaha insurgent movement leader with outstanding arrest warrants is responsible for the attack. His previous incidents include a car bombing and a bombing killing nine rural residents.
-- MCOT/TNA 2011-12-27
