February22, 2007:
In the south, police have arrested three suspects in the mass bombing
attacks of February 18th. Analysis of the bomb debris revealed that the
explosives came from quarries across the border in Malaysia. Electronic
components used for the timers were also traced back to Malaysian sources. The
government admits that its counter-terror efforts in the south have not been
effective, and that new tactics were being employed. Malaysia has agreed to
help out more.
February
20, 2007: In addition to more meetings with moderate leaders in the three
rebellious Moslem provinces, the government will run a public relations
campaign to support efforts to eliminate the terrorists. In addition, 88
advisory teams are being sent to Moslem villages, to try and convince villagers
to supply information. Although there are an additional 10,000 troops and
police in the south, most of these men do not speak the local language (Malay,
not Thai, which is spoken in the rest of the country.) The non-Moslem troops
from up north also tend to look down on the less educated, less affluent
southerners.
February
19, 2007: The government still has not caught any of those who set off bombs in
the capital on New Years Eve. One man was caught on a security camera, and the
government has now offered a $28,000 reward for anyone who can identify
him.
February
18, 2007: At least 28 small bombs were set off in the south, killing nine
people and wounding fifty. There were also about twenty shooting and arson
attacks. The targets included many bars and movie theaters, indicating that
this was the work of Islamic terrorists (who do not approve of movies or
alcohol). Some Moslem targets were also hit, in order to terrorize moderate
Moslem who do not support these attacks. The bombs also appear to have targeted
businesses owned by ethnic Chinese Thais (who tend to dominate retail and
wholesale trade, which is resented by non-Chinese Thais). The Islamic
terrorists want to drive the ethnic Chinese Thais, who tend to be Buddhist, out
of the south.
February
15, 2007: Malaysia has agreed to cooperate with Thailand in dealing with the
Islamic terrorism in the three Moslem provinces of southern Thailand.
Previously, Malaysia insisted it had nothing to do with the unrest, but it was
an open secret that many gangsters and terrorists in southern Thailand, took
refuge, and did business, across the border in Malaysia.