"We are surprised that they launched their attack at our permanent camp instead of small temporary posts."
It is a departure from their usual attacks on teachers, rubber tappers, and telephone repairmen. Also, ex-politicians, village chiefs, married couples, and construction workers. "Insurgent attack kills 4 Thai soldiers," by Kocha Olarn for CNN, January 20:
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- An insurgent attack on a Thai military camp in the country's south killed four soldiers and wounded six others, a military spokesman said Thursday.
"There were about 20 to 30 insurgents (who) attacked our permanent infantry camp in Maruebotok Village, Narathiwart province ... around 7:30 a.m. local time," said Col. Parinya Chaidilok, spokesman of the 4th Division of Internal Security Operation Command.
Parinya said the military had received a tip-off information that there would an attack on Thai military posts.
"But we are surprised that they launched their attack at our permanent camp instead of small temporary posts," he said.
Muslim separatists in southern Thailand have long battled government forces in a country that is overwhelmingly Buddhist. The conflict came to a head after former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra took office in 2004.
Several thousand people died in the violence.
That has a funny way of happening wherever someone feels the need to impose the Religion of Peace.
OT
Let's turn the tide.
Rutger's student newspaper is a breeding ground for anti-semitism. Write a comment on the following article and make them pay the price for their evil ways.
http://www.dailytargum.com/news/vigil-pays-tribute-to-thousands-killed-on-gaza-strip-1.2436871
What's not reported here is that they were after more weapons.
Yes.
That was reported by "The Australian", drawing on the AFP account.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/rebels-kill-four-in-attack-on-thai-military/story-fn3dxix6-1225991791789
"The militants took more than 50 rifles and about 5000 bullets during the raid, setting off bombs and burning two houses and a tent within the base before retreating"...
I went poking around on the internet looking for more details.
Here are a couple of interesting items from the local press that fill in the story a bit.
We read, in these stripped-down bleached-out versions that reach our press in the West, concerning jihad raids of this kind, that 'soldiers' or, for that matter, civilians, or 'Buddhists' being killed. But we never, or almost never, hear their names.
I found an article that gave the names and family details of those four soldiers in the Thai army, now dead at the hands of jihad raiders.
Three were Thai Buddhists; one was a Muslim who had, from the POV of the jihadis, betrayed the ummah by enlisting in the infidel military.
Their names and ranks: Captain Krit Khampirayan; then Sergeant Thewarat Thewa, Sergeant Abdulloh Kayee and Private Prawit Chooklin.
Captain Krit Khampirayan was a bright spark.
'The youngest of five siblings **and the only son** {my emphasis - dda}, Krit was a nephew of former defence minister Thammarak Issarangkul na Ayutthaya. His father was Lt-General Suthorn, his mother was Sumonman.
Thewarat, 33, was a son of Phallop and Suksan. He is survived by wife Juthamas, daughter Thana-phorn, 5, and son Phooraphee, 2.
Abdulloh, 29, was among four siblings born to Isoh and Bedoh. He is survived by wife Noreesa and a young daughter.
Prawit, 23, was single. He was a son of Praphan and Jiraphan. He had two sisters, Uthumphorn and Wilailak."
Click on the link to see a photo of the handsome, shiny-eyed young Thai captain, with his lovely fiancee. Now his parents have no son, because of Muslim jihad.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20110121-259509.html
Posted in such a dangerous location, Krit used to ring his parents every day to let them know he was OK.
'The daily phone calls Captain Krit Khampirayan made to his family to signal his safety during his duty in the violence-infested South came to an end on Wednesday.
'Ninety minutes after he spoke to them, an insurgent attack on his base in Rangae district in Narathiwat killed him and three other soldiers.
"Did you eat, Mum? Don't worry about me. I am fine," were the last words "Boy" gave to his family, said his sister Rawi-orn, an Army colonel."
'Krit made the call every day throughout his five years on duty in the deep South, since his graduation from the military academy.
'A young officer with a bright future, Krit was expected to earn his PhD soon, together with his fiancee Wannapha Niltab, who is also a PhD candidate.'
He was 32. And, alas, like many a well-meaning, bright and high-minded US soldier of similar type, in Afghanistan or Iraq, he was sure he could 'win hearts and minds' among the Muslims.
'Krit gave an interview to Nation Television last January about the military operations aimed at deterring the insurgency while winning over Muslim communities - three years after the fatal beating of government teacher Juling Pongkanmul.
'The officer said the villagers trusted the military and volunteered useful information leading to successful security operations.'
(Yes...but...what if they [the local Muslims] were merely sucking the soldiers in, getting them to relax and let down their guard, and...biding their time...? "Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, v7, p102, that Abu al-Darda' said "(Verily) we smile for some people, while our hearts curse (those same people)."
Here's a second story, that suggests to me that the jihadis had people 'embedded' among the sweetly-smiling oh-so-friendly Muslim villagers whose hearts and minds Captain Khampirayan had been working so hard to win.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Asia/Story/A1Story20110121-259511.html
'Thailand: Insurgents pounced while guard was down'
'The fatal attack on an Army task-force unit in Narathiwat on Wednesday night took place **while the soldiers were having dinner, and possibly a drink or two, after a long day of sporting activities with the locals** [my emphasis - dda}, a senior official said yesterday on condition of anonymity..".
'The sporting activities held at the Task Force 38 base earlier in the day were part of the Army's operation to win the hearts and minds of local residents.
'The base had been used as a venue for similar activities to help foster ties between the troops and villagers, **therefore the locals are familiar with the landscape and setting** {my emphasis - dda}', said Colonel Banpot Poonpien, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command's Advance Unit in the Fourth Army Area..".
A bit further on in the article, I encountered an interesting observation, re the timing of the attack, that the likes of Reuters, AP and AFP never seem to mention:
'Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said insurgent attacks in the South appeared to take place more often before or during forums of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). {Funny, that - dda}.
'He said such provocation was intended to incite severe reactions from the state security forces, which would then be used in a campaign against the country and the government. {Sounds like Pallywood - dda}.
' The 13th session of the OIC Parliamentary Union is currently being held in Abu Dhabi.'
And yet we are always being told that the jihadists in southern Thailand are completely unconnected with any 'outside' groups or networks?
And lots more details, here.
http://pattayatoday.net/news/raiders-seize-arms-cache/
'Raiders seize arms cache'.
'Isoc Region 4 believes the raid had three objectives, a source said.
It was intended to counter the government’s effective campaign to win the hearts and minds of the southern people,
'to demoralise the authorities following the lifting of the state of emergency in Pattani’s Mae Lan district
'and to provoke the use of force in the handling of the insurgency.'
The second suggested reason is interesting, because it fits with what we have seen elsewhere.
Consider: Israel withdrew from Gaza, and terror attacks escalated (until the Muslims got a thorough hammering, in January 2009).
Now - just after Thailand lifts the state of emergency in a particular district, and (though not mentioned in this particular article, proposes an accommodation with sharia law in the south - ), the Muslims carry out a massive and well-planned (far from spontaneous or opportunistic) raid upon a Thai military base.
One can only conclude that the lifting of the state of emergency - and perhaps, too, the raft of proposed accommodations to the Muslims in the south, most notably permission for a sharia court (as reported and discussed here on December 26 2010) - was interpreted by the Muslims as a sign of weakness. And whenever Muslims perceive weakness, they tend to attack, violently.
The business about Muslims seeking 'to provoke the use of force' connects with the idea that they are in a sense signalling to the OIC.
"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the assault might have been aimed at the Organisation of Islamic Committee. He said statistics suggested an increase in insurgent activities when an OIC meeting was drawing near.".
In other words: if the Muslims attack the Thais, and the Thais respond violently, this gives the OIC an excuse to denounce Thailand for its oppression of the poor, poor widdle Muslims.
The 'Bangkok Post' has a long and detailed article, also.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/217337/rebels-attack-army-camp-kill-soldiers
Rebels attack army camp, kill soldiers
In this article, we get a picture of the situation on the ground, and the vulnerability of people like Captain Khampirayan and his men:
'The prime minister said he felt sorry for the families of the four soldiers. "The army will have to adjust its operation and look into how so many weapons were stolen.
"The weakness is caused by **the way soldiers are spread thin to different areas to protect the public** {my emphasis - dda}, giving ill-intentioned people opportunities to create unrest," he said.'
It strikes me that this situation in Thailand, of 'soldiers spread thin', doubtless parallels, by now, that in much of Western Europe, and in the USA and Canada as our police and intelligence services, though not yet our army (who are playing wild goose chases and 'hunt the jihadi' and futilely trying to win hearts and minds, in Afghanistan and/ or Iraq) are probably 'spread thin', too, frantically attempting to keep track of all those Mohammedans who - snugly embedded within and frequently indistinguishable from the general body of the Ummah - keep on 'going Jihad', in ever increasing numbers.