February 15, 2005

Soft handling of unrest urged

 Islamic leaders have asked the Democrat party, which swept the deep

South in the Feb 6 general election, to impress on the government that a

gentle approach was needed to stop the unrest in the region.

Democrat secretary-general Nipon Boonyamanee said yesterday that

Islamic leaders from Chana and Thepa districts of Songkhla had made the

request during a meeting at his house.

The religious leaders were concerned the government's aggressive,

military-led approach to handling southern violence was triggering

violent responses.

The unrest had as a result expanded from the three southern border

provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat to the lower part of Songkhla,

and local people were becoming scared.

``They want a cooperative atmosphere and feel the change of cabinet is

an opportunity for a new, peaceful and gentle approach,'' Mr Nipon

said.

He said the religious leaders' stance was in line with the Democrat

party's Pattani Declaration for settling the problems in the South

announced during the election campaign.

He would discuss the religious leaders' request with Democrat acting

leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who would visit Yala today to discuss southern

issues.

Mr Abhisit would later submit their proposals to Prime Minister Thaksin

Shinawatra, Mr Nipon said.

Democrat candidates won 10 of the 11 constituency seats in Yala,

Pattani and Narathiwat and Chart Thai one.

Nine injured in a string of bomb attacks

Militant tactics aimed at maximum casualties

Nine people, mostly security personnel, were seriously injured in a

string of timed bombings in Narathiwat yesterday morning _ a tactic

clearly intended to cause maximum casualties.

Three explosive-stuffed PVC pipes were placed against the wall of the

Salo Aipasay mosque in Ban Aipasay village, tambon Tanyong Limor of

Rangae district, at 7am.

The bombers apparently targeted security staff who had arrived to

inspect a nearby phone booth set ablaze on Sunday night. The bomb was

defused.

About 15 minutes later there was an explosion two kilometres away on a

road alongside the tracks of the Cho Airong railway station in Ban

Luboyoh village of tambon Chuap.

The explosion, 200 metres from the railway station, injured three

soldiers passing by on a jeep and left a crater 30cm deep and two metres

in diameter. It seriously wounded Lt Sakchai Yodharn, Sub Lt Supoj

Yimnoi and Pvt Rat Kalsang.

Half an hour later, a bomb, estimated to weigh 10kg went off between

the road and the railway track while about 30 security staff were

examining the scene of the first explosion.

The second blast wounded six more people _ assistant district chief

Jakchai Khiawkrachang, Abdulloh Tahay, Sgt-Maj Rerngrit Lertrat, Pol

Sub-Lt Tosawat Tosapan, Pol Snr-Sgt Maj Narong Jitsopha and Pvt Pairoj

So. The bomb contained nails and chainsaw links that were scattered over

a 50-metre radius.

Security staff in the South have been ordered to search anyone with

suspicious-looking bags and to cordon off immediately areas that have

been bombed.

Earlier, a village head was shot dead in the bathroom of his house in

Ban Ton Makham village in Yarang district, Pattani province, about

6:30pm on Sunday