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August 1, 2006
Thailand: Civilian Attacks Continue in Muslim South
Last Monday, July 24, a teacher was shot dead in front of his class while he was giving a Thai language class to fourth grade students, The incident happened in Ban Muaraeng school at 11.00 am local time in Rueso district of Narathiwat province. 48-year old Prasarn Makchu was shot three times by one insurgent, dressed in a school uniform, while his three accomplices waited outside.
Caretaker Education Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng gave 50,000 baht ($1,318) as compensation to his family immediately after the event.
On the same day, in tambon Don Rak in Nong Chik district. Pattani province, an employee of a concrete company was shot dead by a suspected insurgent. 42-year old Sa-nguan Jaikamwang was killed by gunfire from a pillion rider on a motorbike. Sources for this and other events are, unless stated otherwise, from the Bangkok Post.
In Muang district, Yala province, 30 SIM cards were stolen. Police said that the stolen SIM cards were probably going to be used to detonate bombs.
On July 25, a 32-year old war veteran, Maroso Do-or, was shot dead by two men riding a motorcycle in Panare district in Pattani province. The incident occured around 8.30 am.
At around 1.20 pm on the same day, a 44-year old employee of a wood processing facility was shot dead in Rueso district in Narathiwat. Suvicho Kharawanond was on his way to work when he was killed.
On 26 July, a bomb went off in Rangae district in Narathiwat province. The 5 kilogram bomb had been triggered remotely, by mobile phone, at around 3.45 pm near Klong Tanyong bridge. The bomb had apparently been aimed at members of the Independent Commission on Justice and Civil Liberties for the Southern Border Provinces (ICJC). Members of this body were due to meet villagers in the district. No-one was hurt in the blast. The members of the ICJC had passed by in a vehicle five minutes before the bomb was triggered.
Two days later, two men thought to have set this bomb were arrested. Udeeman Samoh, 21, and Sapee-aree Jehkor, 21 were arrested in a dawn raid which took place in Hulupareh village, Rangae district.
On Thursday 28 July, according to The Nation, a soldier was injured in a bomb blast in Yarang district in Pattani province. Two Muslims, who were in "dawah" (missionary) robes had previously taken donations from a group of soldiers, and it is suspected they triggered the explosion. The device was placed under a pavilian, where three soldiers were resting from their patrol. Private Athit Tangkanjanaku was injured in his right hand by the blast.
On Friday, 29 July, another phone shop in Muang DIstrict was raided, this time by four teenagers, and again 30 SIM cards were taken. On the same day in Sai Buri district in Patani province, police retrieved 11 assault rifles, which were thought to have been used in the attack upon a military checkpoint at Ban Kalapor in tambon Troh Bon. The attack had taken place on July 21 and three police had been killed.
In Bannang Sata district of Yala province on Friday, insurgents opened fire at a military outpost of the 534 special task force. No-one was hurt.
On Saturday 30 July, in Muang district in Yala, two fruit sellers were attacked. 42 year old Sukree Waha was shot in the head and died on his way to hospital. 34-year old Mahama Salama was shot in both arms. They had been delivering durian from an orchard to a wholesaler, when attacked. Their assailant had posed as another fruit trader.
On Sunday, a 28-year old former army officer, Asava Salamhad was killed by insurgents. His body was found in the road between Sungai Kolak and Waeng districts in Narathiwat province. He was discovered in the early hours. Police believe he had been killed elsewhere, and his body dumped at the spot after being brought by people on motorcycles. He had been shot through the head.
Yesterday, the mother of Ms Juling Pongkunmul was named as "mother of the year" for her devotion to her daughter. On May 19 in Gujinruepo village in Ragae district in Narathiwat province, a mob of Muslim villagers, mainly comprising women mounted an attack upon a school. They demanded to know the non-Muslim teachers. Two Buddhist women staff were identified, Juling Pongkunmul and Sirinat Thawornsuk. Ms Juling and Ms Sirinat (who had been dragged from a tea shop) were held hostage in the village, where for more than an hour they were savagely beaten with sticks.
Ms Sirinat recovered from her ordeal, but 26-year old Ms Juling lapsed into a coma from which she still has not recovered. She has since been cared for at the Prince of Songkhla Hospital in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province.
Ms Juling's health has not improved. Recently she has developed blood clots on her legs, and she had phlegm removed from her lungs last week. She has a lung infection.
According to the Bangkok Post and the Pattaya Daily News, Ms Juling's mother, Khammee Pongkanmul, who lives in Chiang Rai in Pattaya will travel from her daughter's bedside in Songkhla province to Bangkok on August 12.
On this date, which is simultaneously the Queen of Thailand's birthday and also Mothers' Day in Thailand, Khamee Pongkanmul (pictured above) will receive her award from HRH Princess Somsawali. She said she was very proud of her daughter. She said that she was been overwhelmed by kind messages and financial gifts from the royal family to support her daughter‘s medical treatment.
Ms Juling was a talented artist and had dedicated herself to education.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at August 1, 2006 11:49 PM
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