The attack on a police's checkpoint in Tak Bai two days ago which killed a Malaysian man happened almost two weeks before the anniversary of one of the bloodiest incidents in southern Thailand which still aroused a sense of dissatisfaction among the local population.
The Tak Bai incident which claimed the life of 86 local men occurred on Oct 25, 13 years ago and despite more than a decade has passed, it still remained a highly controversial issue among people in the southern provinces.
While many alleged the Sunday night's attack which claimed the life of Wan Mohd Zain W.Hussin, 46, a cook from Kelantan was part of a broader plan by militant group to step up retaliatory attacks leading up to the anniversary, Thailand's Fourth Army Region disputed this notion.
According to its commander Lt Gen Piyawat Nakwanich, the attack was not linked with the anniversary of Tak Bai incident but more likely was an attempt by militants to warn the authorities and local population of their undiminished ability to create violence.
"It could be staged by someone who wanted to show they still muster the potential to create violence and sow fear on local people, scaring them (local population) from giving any cooperation to the authorities," he told Bernama when contacted.
He said the four unidentified armed men on a pickup truck who sprayed bullets on the checkpoint could also just wanted to target the security officers manning the facility. The security forces collected more than 50 spent bullet casings from the scene of the attack as part of their investigation.
A regular traveller to southern Thailand as he had many relatives in Narathiwat, the late Wan Mohd Zain could just be unlucky for being at "the wrong place, at the wrong time" and struck by bullets while transiting the many checkpoints in Narathiwat.
The body of the single father has been claimed by his family and sent back to Kampung Ketil in Kelantan for burial.
Despite the latest incident, Piyawat said the overall security situation in southern Thailand, which is under the purview of the Fourth Army Region, has improved greatly with more local people giving cooperation to the authorities while the local economy is flourishing.
"I witnessed for myself that the local people gave more cooperation to the authorities and we could also see various businesses in the deep south (southern Thailand) such as gas stations, car showrooms, restaurants and other shops along the roads and beaches," he said.
The government according to him, has put in place economic initiatives as another measure to solve the conflict in the region and the result has been encouraging with improved security situation and local economy that is starting to thrive.
Meanwhile, investigators believed the attack on Tak Bai's checkpoint two days ago was perpetrated by a militant group headed by a certain "Famee Mudo" who has been active in the district and its surrounding areas.
According to Tak Bai police chief Col Phacaraphon Na Nakhon, Famee was also responsible for an attack on another checkpoint in the district about five years ago and made him the prime suspect behind the latest violence.
Investigators according to the local media also inspected a spot where a 25-kg improvised bomb was detonated not long after the attack on Tak Bai's checkpoint, which they believed was aimed at a convoy transporting the police chief.
The bomb attack failed to strike its intended target, but the police chief had to delay his trip.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Oct 17 2017
A regular traveller to southern Thailand as he had many relatives in Narathiwat, Wan Mohd Zain could just be unlucky for being at "the wrong place, at the wrong time" and struck by bullets while transiting the many checkpoints there. --fotoBERNAMA
Mohd Azizulhasni tekad dikalungkan pingat emas di Paris
Azizulhasni tekad untuk 'dikalungkan' pingat emas pertama Malaysia di Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 pada penampilan terakhirnya di temasya itu.
USM cipta rekod hasilkan kaligrafi Cina 2.68km
Penuntut USM cipta rekod dalam MBOR apabila menghasilkan penulisan kaligrafi Cina sepanjang 2.68 kilometer.
MITRA sudah belanja RM40 juta daripada peruntukan RM100 juta tahun ini
Sebanyak RM40 juta daripada peruntukan RM100 juta yang disalurkan kerajaan tahun ini kepada MITRA telah dimanfaatkan untuk pelbagai program.
Laporan Pasaran Labuan IBFC 2023 tunjukkan pemulihan kukuh, pertumbuhan luar biasa
Laporan Labuan IBFC 2023 mendedahkan pertumbuhan luar biasa wilayah itu yang menyumbang RM1.2 bilion kepada hasil fiskal Malaysia dan melepasi paras RM1 bilion buat pertama kalinya.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Guinea-Bissau akur kepada Israel, tidak beri kebenaran guna bendera bagi misi pelayaran
Kerajaan Republik Guinea-Bissau dilaporkan tunduk dan akur kepada gesaan Israel untuk tidak membenarkan misi pelayaran Break The Siege: Freedom Flotilla to Gaza menggunakan bendera mereka.
Penyakit berkaitan haba dikhuatiri meningkat di Gaza
Penularan penyakit berkaitan haba panas menjadi kebimbangan terbaharu di Gaza selepas suhu luar jangka melampau melanda wilayah itu setiap hari. Ia sudah semestinya diburukkan lagi dengan kekurangan air bersih dan ketiadaan sistem pembuangan sisa pepejal yang sepatutnya wujud di sesebuah kawasan didiami manusia.
Ilhan Omar melawat peserta tunjuk perasaan
Wakil Dewan Perwakilan Amerika Syarikat (AS) Ilhan Omar mengadakan lawatan di kampus penyokong Pro Palestin di Universiti Columbia New York pada Khamis.
Dua lelaki didakwa jadi 'tali barut' kepada China
Dua lelaki yang mana salah seorangnya pernah bertugas di Parlimen United Kingdom (UK) enjalani proses perbicaraan di mahkamah London pada Jumaat selepas didakwa menjadi tali barut menyalurkan maklumat sulit kerajaan kepada negara tembok besar itu.
Polis serbu pejabat 'Save the Children' di Guatemala
Polis Guatemala melakukan serbuan mengejut ke atas pejabat-pejabat Pertubuhan Save the Children di pelbagai lokasi di negara itu. Ia bagi mencari bukti dakwaan pertubuhan yang memperjuangkan kebajikan kanak-kanak itu, terlibat dalam jenayah penderaan terhadap golongan itu.
LIMA '25 dianjurkan pada 20-24 Mei tahun depan
Pameran Maritim dan Aeroangkasa Antarabangsa Langkawi 2025 (LlMA ‘25) akan dianjurkan pada 20 hingga 24 Mei tahun depan bertemakan Innovate Today, Thrive Tomorrow.