July 18, 2013
Ramadan Bomb-a-thon: Jihadists plant two bombs in Thailand's deep south
The soldiers targeted were patrolling on foot, ensuring the safety of teachers along a rural road at Ban Sanambin in Tambon Bang Lang of Bannang Sata when the roadside bomb exploded. Teachers are the target of these devout Muslims -- "Western education is sinful."
From our man in Thailand:
Hello Pamela,
Things are looking up during the Ramadan Truce in Thailand's deep south: Muslim terrorists planted 'only' two bombs yesterday and failed to kill anyone. As one of the local Thai language papers reported, three soldiers were "only wounded". As if to say "Only wounded? Well, that is fine, then."
Three soldiers were 'only' wounded in the two attacks, so our news media tends to play down terrorist activities, but 'only wounded' often means confined to a wheelchair for life, or blinded or missing legs and arms. Often the difference between people being killed (whether civilians or soldiers) or 'only wounded' is a fraction of a second when the Muslim terrorists miscalculate the speed of a vehicle and set off the bomb too early or too late.
How many soldiers are 'only wounded' in the Thailand's deep south? The government will not say, but another news article gives a clue: Hundreds of Thai soldiers are seriously wounded every year by Muslim terrorists in the South. The seriously wounded soldiers are sent to an Army hospital in Bangkok.
That sounds like a war to me.
Volunteers lift the spirits of wounded soldiers
Thanapat Kitjakosol
The Nation July 19, 2013 1:00 am
Each year, hundreds of soldiers are sent to Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok for treatment after being injured on duty. For many of them, the injuries are life-changing. About 90 per cent of soldiers at Phramongkutklao Hospital were injured in the deep South.
Several volunteer groups are determined to stay by these soldiers' sides, offering moral support and more.
"We want them to know that we are here for them. We want to help them get on with their lives," said People Volunteer Group core member Sakdanai Petchnindam.
His group arranges regular visits by volunteers to soldiers injured in the unrest in the deep South.
The volunteers shower the soldiers with moral support, gift baskets and signed "Get Well Soon" cards. They also offer some financial assistance.
Colonel Dr Dussadee Tantanont, who heads Phramongkutklao Hospital's orthopaedic surgery division, said the soldiers' spirits lifted visibly when visitors arrived.
"The soldiers look cheerful and happy when the visitors talk to them. Moral support means the most to them," he said.
Butsaba Tuntipiboon, who founded the Pot of Love campaign, said some people were initially reluctant to visit injured soldiers in person because they feared that one wrong word during a conversation could accidentally hurt the feelings of the patients.
"Some of my friends used to have that fear. But after visiting the soldiers, they find that things go really well. They even get encouragement from the soldiers," she said.
Dussadee said soldiers needed not just medical treatment, but also emotional care.
"Their cases are not [merely] about illness. So we have arranged for various units to take turns visiting these injured soldiers."
He said the soldiers were proud about having carried out their duty and having served the country.
"They don't want sympathy. They just want to know that people recognise the importance of their mission and acknowledge their service to the country," Dussadee said.
He said severely injured soldiers initially worried about themselves, their becoming disabled, and their livelihoods.
"But quite quickly, their concerns turn mostly to their families," he said.
According to Dussadee, the Army provides free accommodation and free meals for the injured soldiers' relatives when they visit the hospital.
"We have also arranged for various government agencies and private groups or organisations to take turns visiting the soldiers," he said. He estimated that there were lunch and dinner parties for the injured soldiers about 15 days out of each month.
About 90 per cent of soldiers at Phramongkutklao Hospital were injured in the deep South. The rest sustained wounds in border zones or during anti-drug operations.
Srisawas Boonyakiat, a nurse at the hospital, said she cared for injured soldiers as if they were her own relatives.
"These soldiers have sacrificed themselves for the country," she said.
Butsaba said she started visiting the injured soldiers after deciding that simply expressing moral support via Facebookalone might not be enough.
"I feel we must have the courage to go there and tell the soldiers face-to-face how much we care for them and that we have never forgotten them," she said.
Butsaba has encouraged her friends to do the same thing. Last December, she produced and sold tree pots to raise funds for the soldiers.
"Together with donations, we were able to raise nearly Bt100,000," she said.
Inspired by the tree pots, she created the Pot of Love page on Facebook to tell others about the injured soldiers and how to reach out to them.
"These soldiers don't want much from us - just friendship, some recognition and a little moral support," Butsaba said.
This is the first in a two-part series on injured soldiers. The second part will be published on Saturday.
Bomb wounds 2 rangers in Narathiwat Bamgkok Post, July 17, 2013
Two soldiers were wounded by a bomb explosion in Narathiwat's Cho Ai Rong district on Wednesday, according to reports.
as an armoured car loaded with rangers of the 48th Rangers Regiment was crossing over a bridge near Ban Pare Lubo in tambon Marubo Ok in Cho Ai Rong district.
A bomb planted under the road near one end of the bridge was detonated remotely. Two rangers, Sgt Sayam Srima and Chief Warrant Officer Bangla Srisompan, were wounded by the explosion.
The armoured car was damaged.
Ranger wounded by Yala bomb Bangkok Post17 Jul 2013 at 11.02
A paramilitary ranger was slightly injured by a bomb explosion on a road in Bannang Sata district of Yala early Wednesday, police said.
Members of Ranger Company 3306 were patrolling on foot, ensuring the safety of teachers along a rural road at Ban Sanambin in Tambon Bang Lang of Bannang Sata when the roadside bomb exploded.
Ranger Thop Chaipol, 31, was hit in his right leg by shrapnel and taken to Bannang Sata hospital.
Police blamed separatist militants.
It is the first time violence has been directly blamed on insurgents since it was announced the Thai delegation and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist movement had agreed on 40 days of peace in the far South, declaring the Ramadan Muslim fasting period a "violence-free month".
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