Two monks shot dead as violence flares in Thailand's deep south

Gunmen in Thailand's deep south shot dead two Buddhist monks and wounded two others inside a temple, police said Saturday, capping a week of deadly violence as the prime minister vowed to "punish" those responsible.

Black-clad assailants carrying rifles crept into Rattanaupap temple in Narathiwat province near Malaysia's border on Friday evening and started firing, local superintendant Pakdi Preechachon told AFP. 

"The attack took place around 7:30 pm (1230 GMT) when an unknown number of gunmen dressed in black entered the temple through a rear area via a creek," Pakdi said.

"Two monks were shot dead at the temple while two others were wounded."

Since 2004 clashes between ethnic Malay-Muslim rebels and the Buddhist-majority Thai state that annexed the region a century ago have killed nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians of both faiths.

The death toll in the south dropped to a record low last year as Thailand's junta tightened its security web but violence has boiled over in recent days, raising concerns about soft targets at schools and religious institutions.

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In the past, Buddhist monks have rarely been targeted.

But they have been told to suspend morning alms collection starting from Saturday in three southern provinces and the southern army commander has instructed security officials to step up safeguards of Islamic leaders who could also be at risk.

Junta leader and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha condemned the temple shootings.

"The prime Minister denounced such a brazen attack and instructed officials to investigate and find the assailants to punish them," said government spokesman Buddhipongse Punnakanta.

Human Rights Watch said the "ghastly" assault on civilians in a place of worship amounted to a war crime.

Last week, an imam in the same province was shot dead but it was unclear if the temple attack was related.

Friday's shooting came the same day as four security officials were wounded by two separate roadside bombs and an insurgent was shot dead in a clash near a school that sent students home for the day.

Four civil defence volunteers were also killed in a drive-by shooting outside a school on January 10 in the south's Pattani province, with security forces injuring a boy as they gunned down rebels believed to be responsible.

In a rare public statement dated January 4 the main Malay-Muslim rebel group -- the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) -- which has command and control over most of the insurgent foot soldiers, swore to "keep fighting".

"Siam (Thailand) can't hold out," the BRN wrote, signing off with a warning: "Do not help and support Siam."

Source - TheJakartaPost

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‘MASTERMIND’ of Pattani car-bomb identified with eight accomplices, said to have fled to Yala.

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‘MASTERMIND’ of Pattani car-bomb identified with eight accomplices, said to have fled to Yala.

ONE OF the suspects in the Big C Pattani car bomb explosion has identified eight accomplices, including the mastermind behind the attack that injured more than 60 people on Tuesday. 
Fourth Army Area chief Lt-General Piyawat Nakwanich yesterday released a list of the car-bomb suspects. 
The list is based on information from Su-ai-mee Sama-ae, who has been interrogated at a military base in Pattani province since his arrest on Thursday night.
According to Su-ai-mee, Annungwa Kazor is the alleged mastermind, while Maolana Samoh and Abdul-aze Japakeeya are responsible for finding others to actually carry out the attack. 
He said that Isma-ae Morzu was in charge of getting the vehicle that would be used as the car bomb. Manasay Zyredee was tasked with assembling explosives and concealing them in the vehicle, alongside Muhammad Kazor. All along, Ruslan Baimor and Bukhori Lamzoh served as lookouts. 
To get the vehicle for the plot, the gang allegedly lured Nuson Kajornkam, a tent-service provider from Yala province, to Pattani and killed him on Tuesday morning, according to Su-ai-mee. About five hours later, his pickup truck was packed with explosive-filled cylinders and parked in front of the Big C Pattani. 
Nuson left behind his wife, who is a nurse, and their two children. 
His widow, Sawitree Kachornkham, said yesterday that she did not want to live in Yala anymore because it was not safe, even in broad daylight. 
The death of her husband was a big blow. “I hope such a thing will never happen to anyone else. I really would like to ask the killer whether they have ever loved someone,” she said. 
Pattani Governor Weeranan Pengchan said all eight suspects implicated by Su-ai-mee had criminal records.
“They are wanted for many other crimes in Pattani and Yala,” he said. 
He added that the ongoing investigation suggested that the eight suspects had already fled to the neighbouring Yala province. 
Pattani Special Taskforce’s chief Maj-General Jatuporn Klampasut said that the chief executive of the Tambon Nong Chik Administrative Organisation and a local imam had been aware of Nuson’s killing. 
“At this point, there is no evidence that they directly took part in the robbery. So, we have just interviewed them for information. We have also questioned five locals for the same purpose,” Jatuporn said. 
Suspicious activities
Colonel Yuttanam Petchmuang, a deputy spokesman for the Forward Command of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said Piyawat had already asked relevant authorities to gather evidence fast to bring all the culprits to justice. 
Following the explosion, an arrest warrant was issued for Makorseng Ma-ae, 25. But authorities are still searching for him. 
Yuttanam urged people to alert authorities if they detected any suspicious activities. 
HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn has assigned a delegate to provide flowers and gifts of support to victims at hospitals. 
Unrest has raged in Thailand’s deep South for more than a decade. Bloody incidents have taken place on almost a daily basis. 
Yesterday afternoon, more than 100 religious leaders, community leaders and locals joined a prayer in front of Big C Pattani to ask for peace. They condemned the use of violence, including the blast that hit the area a few days ago.
Meanwhile, the Sheikhul Islam Office has released a letter condemning the incidents in Pattani province that injured 61 innocent people when two bombs were detonated on Tuesday afternoon at a Big C store in Muang Pattani district. 
The office said that the vicious act had been designed to take innocent lives and thus violated the teachings of Islam, which clearly forbids such a crime. 
The Sheikhul Islam Office urged the perpetrators to refrain from engaging in further violence against local residents. 
The office also implored the government to do everything in its power to prevent such incidents from occurring, while providing assistance to victims and bringing the culprits to justice. 
The letter ends with a plea to the |administration to find peaceful solutions to end the violence that is plaguing the South, especially by means of promoting public |participation.
Source - TheNation
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