22 – 28 Sept 2015 10– 16 August 2015
Country Weekly Report of
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research
THAILAND
Pattani:
Details
On the night of September 22, a bomb exploded at a grocery store in Pattani's Yaring district. The attack occurred about 7:15pm when two men arrived at the Sai Thong market in Pata village in tambon Talo Kapo and laid a box wrapped with black paper at the front of the shop before leaving. Phannee Rattanachinda, the shop owner, saw the box and threw it out of the store. The bomb inside then suddenly exploded. There were no reported injuries caused by the explosion.1
Analysis
Small scale bomb explosions in the south have been carried out by Muslim insurgents seeking independence from Thailand. These insurgents have increasingly targeted civilians, who are seen as legitimate instruments and symbols of the regime.
Investigation
The military junta has in recent times increased their crackdowns in the region, although this is thought to have angered many individuals within the community.
1 “Bomb explodes at Pattani grocery,” Bangkok Post, 23 September, 2015, accessed 28 September, 2015, http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/704136/bomb-explodes-at-pattani-grocery.
“Bomb wounds 3 policemen in Pattani,”Bangkok Post, 21 September, 2015, accessed 28 September, 2015, http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/701132/bomb-wounds-3-policemen-in-pattani.
Details
On September 21, three policemen were slightly wounded after a home-made bomb exploded in Muang district of Pattani province in the morning. The attack occurred about 8am while the three policemen were patrolling near the foot of Chabang Tiko bridge in tambon Sabarang.
The bomb, weighing about 10 kilogrammes, was detonated remotely. The explosion caused minor injuries to Pol L/Cpl Sudiruman Yilate, 29, Pol L/Cpl Yosying Chuchangwang, 27, and Pol L/Col Phumdej Trintrakan, 25. They were admitted to Pattani Hospital.
Analysis
Security officials have increasingly become targets in attacks caused by bomb explosions. Attacks are said to be driven by existential grievances by the perpetrators, due to increased crackdowns by Thai security officials in the region.
Investigation
Earlier, about 7am in Nong Chik district, a cloth banner was found hanging on the wall of Padae Lalong School in tambon Bo Thong. The banner had a message written in the Malay and Thai languages attacking state authorities. These revelations support indications that the attacks were carried out by grievances towards the state’s actions on the communities there.
Response
The recent wave of attacks in the Pattani province on September 21 and 22 shows no signs of abating; Thailand needs to seek more comprehensive counter-measures targeting the factors driving the insurgency in the south in order to mitigate the attacks in the region.
Bangkok:
Details
On September 23, police detained four Uighur ethnics who were allegedly involved in the bombing of a Hindu shrine in central Bangkok on Aug 17. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the suspects, who were picked up in the city centre and Kelantan were in their 30s.2
On September 26, Thai national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the probe now revealed the first arrested suspect, a man police identified as Adem Karadag whose nationality remains unconfirmed, was the bomber.3 The foreigner held in custody over last month's deadly Bangkok
2 “Four Uighurs detained over Bangkok shrine bombing,” The Sun Daily, 23 September, 2015, accessed 28 September, 2015, http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1561108.
3 “Thai police say detained man is Bangkok 'bomber' seen on CCTV,” AsiaOne, 26 September, 2015, accessed 28 September, 2015, http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/thai-police-say-detained-man- bangkok-bomber-seen-cctv#sthash.2msAmYQm.dpuf. attack was the same yellow-shirted man seen on CCTV placing a rucksack at the shrine moments before the blast.
Analysis
Thailand experienced one of its worst ever attack in Bangkok on August 17 when a bomb exploded at the Erawan Shrine in the heart of Bangkok, the capital city. The blast tore through a segment of the downtown Ratchaprasong intersection, a major tourist thoroughfare. Casualties included Malaysian, Indonesian, Singaporean, Chinese, Thai, Taiwanese and Hong Kong nationals. The attacks have cast a spotlight on human trafficking crime networks and Uighurs in Southeast Asia with links to militant networks in the region.
Investigation
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police said that, following the bombing, police worked with their Thai counterparts to locate and arrest those involved in the bombing. Among the eight suspects, four are locals. He added that those arrested (locals) are also involved in human trafficking activities involving foreigners entering Malaysia.
Response
Malaysian police are working with their Thai counterparts and Malaysian police say they have informed the Thai police of the arrest.