In the wake of the weekend's car-bomb attacks
in Hat Yai and Yala, security will remain tight in all at-risk areas for the
next three months, while extra measures will be adopted during the April 12-18
Songkran festival, or Thailand's traditional new year, and the April 7-11 beach
volleyball competition in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
In
Songkhla, soldiers will possibly be asked to help the police guard road
checkpoints or conduct foot patrols in key areas, senior commander Pol
Lt-General Jakthip Chaijinda said, conceding that a military presence could
scare away foreign tourists.
Meanwhile,
police are trying to track down vehicles that have been reported missing for
fear they could be used in future bomb attacks, while the areas of operations
under close watch have been made smaller so security units can ensure constant
and more thorough surveillance.
Among
the suspects named yesterday, he said that two of them went by the same name -
Jehmah Wani. "There are two persons in different age groups suspected of
involvement, but I cannot say which of the two is more suspicious," he
added.
Thawee
Sodsong, director of Southern Border Province Administrative Centre, denied
that he had held talks with insurgents during his recent visit to Malaysia as
alleged by Army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha. Thawee said that he had
not been authorised to represent Thailand and that it was really the National
Security Council or the Foreign Ministry's job.
Citing
the meeting of agencies responsible for national security on Monday, he blamed
miscommunication as a possible reason for Prayuth's belief he had spoken to
insurgents, adding that the Army chief has since been given an explanation.
He also
said that former MP Nujmudeen Uma did not work as an adviser to the SBPAC,
which a senior policeman claimed was the reason behind an M-79 attack on his
Narathiwat home last week. However, Thawee said, the SBPAC did contact
Nujmudeen during a public referendum in the area.
Deputy
Prime Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapha said negotiations between security
officials and insurgents at the operational level could take place and continue
if permitted by the military top brass, but talks at the executive level had
not been held among relevant agencies as reportedly proposed by Defence
Minister Sukamphol Suwannathat. "If we could get all groups of insurgents
to the negotiation table, then talks could be possible, but if not, the groups
not involved in the talks could carry out violence on claims that they were not
included," he added.
Yutthasak
also blamed Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel staff members for the Saturday bomb
attacks, saying they had ignored security warnings. "It was their
ignorance and mistake that allowed the insurgents to launch a bomb
attack," he added.
A
500,000 baht (US$16,150) bounty is being offered for each of the two suspects
in the Hat Yai bombing, Songkhla governor Kritsada Boonrat said during a
meeting of agencies and the province's business and tourism sectors to assess
the situation.
Meanwhile,
Jurai Leela, a woman who sustained injuries in the Yala blasts, succumbed to
her wounds early yesterday, bringing the province's total deaths from the
weekend bombing to 11. So far, three people have been reported dead in the Hat
Yai attack.
Owners
of cars parked in the Lee Gardens hotel that have been inspected by ordnance
personnel are being allowed to obtain their vehicles after producing proof of
ownership. One woman said her car had been damaged by the explosion but could
be repaired.
Prime
Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, meanwhile, has agreed with her Malaysian
counterpart Najib Razak to boost security at border checkpoints, while both
countries' Interior Ministries will share the database on passports and
identification papers to keep a watchful eye on visitors to both countries.
This will also minimise the chance of people maintaining dual nationalities,
which had been exploited by insurgents.
Speaking
during the recent Asean summit in Cambodia, Foreign Minister Surapong
Towijakchaikul said Yingluck expressed her condolences and vowed to compensate
for the loss of life and properties of foreign tourists who were killed or wounded
in the Hat Yai attack.
Her
Majesty the Queen has presented gifts and supplies to the 52 wounded people
still in hospital in Songkhla and 30 others in Yala through the Thai Red Cross
Society's secretary-general Phaen Wannamethee, who also conveyed a message of
condolence and encouragement from the Queen.
In
Narathiwat, four gunmen opened fire at the home of a local politician, who
survived after crawling under his truck and returning fire, which forced the
attackers to flee in a pick-up truck.
Habir
Bukawali, a member of the Tambon Batong Administrative Organisation, said two
of the men were armed with automatic rifles and two with shotguns. Police
collected 80 spent cartridges at the scene, a home in Rusoh district, and
theorised the attack was either the work of insurgents or motivated by other
conflicts he may have had with business or political rivals.
News
Desk
The
Nation
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