Thailand deep south: Insurgents attack military outposts

Thailand deep south: Insurgents attack military outposts
Bangkok Post, December 14, 2011

Southern insurgents launched bomb and gun attacks on two military outposts in Narathiwat province's Rueso district early yesterday but caused no injuries.

The first attack took place at the office of the Suvaree tambon administration organisation (TAO), which houses the Ror 15323 military outpost. A home-made bomb, planted near the wall of the TAO, went off at 2am. Another nearby bomb exploded simultaneously.

The attackers then threw a grenade on to the roof of the office. This prompted about 30 soldiers to return fire. The attackers retreated. There were no casualties.

The blasts left two holes in the wall and damaged the TAO office and office equipment. Pieces of metal and batteries were found scattered in the area.

Soon after, another group of attackers on board a pickup truck fired an M79 grenade into another military outpost, about 2km from the first outpost. But the grenade missed the target.

A roadside rubber tree was felled to block the route, about 1.5km from the second military outpost.

Pol Col Sathanfa Wamasing, chief of Rueso district police, yesterday led police, soldiers and a bomb squad to inspect the attack scenes.

Police said the attacks, aimed at security forces, were believed to be carried out by members of the Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) separatist movement.

According to a police investigation, 40-50 heavily armed RKK insurgents split into three groups to carry out the attacks. One of the groups planted two bombs near the wall of the Suvaree TAO.

Police believe the attackers wanted the explosions to damage the wall before they stormed the outpost. As the impact of the explosions was not powerful, the attackers threw a grenade into the outpost, the officers said.

Another group of insurgents attacked the second military outpost because they wanted to prevent authorities from sending troops to help those in the first outpost, police said.

Pol Col Sathanfa said the attacks were well planned. He believed they might have been carried out by the same group of insurgents who raided a military base in tambon Raruebotok in Narathiwat's Rangae district on Jan 19. Four soldiers were killed and six others wounded in the raid. Firearms were also stolen.

In Pattani, resident Wirat Bamrungwong, 43, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting yesterday morning in Nong Chik district. He was attacked by two men on a motorcycle while on his way to work in downtown Muang district.

Also in Pattani, Sompob Yuseng, 45, a fish trader, was found dead with bullet wounds to his head and body on a road in Yarang district on Monday evening. His relatives said he left home on a pickup truck about 3am on Monday to buy fish at a market in Muang district. His vehicle had been stolen.

The cabinet yesterday extended the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations in the three southernmost provinces for another three months to March 19.

The current emergency decree, which allows authorities to arrest and detain suspects without court approval, expires next Monday.

Thailand deep south: Insurgents attack military outposts