Dawn of the Geeks

Yala Recieves Honorable Mention as City of Peace in 2002-2003

Rebel attacks wreak havoc in district of Yala

Yala _ Bannang Sata district was thrown into turmoil after gun and arson attacks took place at 11 spots within less than three hours on Thursday night.

The first attack came at 7.20 pm when a heavily armed group opened fire on a peace strategy station at Ban Bacho School. However, no one was killed or injured in the ensuing gunfight.

Shortly afterwards, there was an arson attack on a child care centre in Ban Ba-ngoy Jaekor village. The centre was partly damaged by the fire before the blaze was brought under control.

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Another arson attack occurred at Ban Bang Lan School in tambon Bajor. Local people helped put out the blaze before it could destroy school buildings.

Who was behind these attacks?

Militant messages were spray-painted on the surface of a road in Ban Pawang village saying, “We will not get your things, but will take back what once belonged to us.” The words “Independent Pattani State” and “Free Pattani” were also found spray-painted on a signboard in front of Ban Taophun School and on Bannang Sata-Patae road.

Hmmmm…Who wants the Pattani State?

Patani United Liberation Organisation (PULO) is the most well-known Pattani resistance group in southern Thailand. Its platform is highlighted by its Islamic nationalist goals, calling the Thai presence in Pattani as a colonisation and an illegal occupation. Its stated aims are to secede from the Bangkok administration through military and political means and create a state named Patani Darussalam (Patani, Land of Peace). Their zeal is further enflamed when petroleum is found off-shore of Pattani’s coast.

I wonder if they’ll ever stop firebombing schools and join the rest of civilized society.