14 die in southern carnage

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YALA BOMB BLASTS, SONGKHLA HOTEL BLAZE INJURE HUNDREDS

Published: 1 Apr 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Turmoil descended on the South yesterday when three bomb explosions rocked Yala and a blaze gutted a luxurious hotel in Songkhla, causing at least 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

Thick smoke pours from the ground floor of the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel as firefighters struggle to control a blaze that killed five people and injured more than 350 others. Below, right and centre, many guests and workers had to be rescued from the building. Authorities said the fire was caused by an explosion. As of press time, they had yet to find any evidence linking the fire to bombings in the South yesterday. PHOTO: WICHAYANT BOONCHOTE, EPA AND AP

Nine people were killed and more than 100 others wounded in three bomb attacks in Yala's downtown area, while an explosion that caused a fire at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel and shopping mall in Songkhla's Hat Yai district killed five and left more than 350 injured.

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loong
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Discussion 27 : 04 Apr 2012 at 02.2727
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There are many Thai Buddhist living in northern Malaysia. How do they co-existed with peace?
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johninbkk
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Discussion 26 : 03 Apr 2012 at 12.4026
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blobber D17 - I've listed a chart below with the year, the casualty rate, and the government who was in charge for the majority of each year. It shows the peak violence was during the coup government, and the least violence was during the elected PPP government.

2004 - 625 - TRT
2005 - 550 - TRT
2006 - 780 - coup government
2007 - 770 - coup government
2008 - 450 - PPP
2009 - 310 - PPP
2010 - 521 - Dems
2011 - 535 - Dems
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lazar
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Discussion 25 : 02 Apr 2012 at 12.2825
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ridzwan D24: I suppose that's a good enough excuse we'll hear today
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ridzwan
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Discussion 24 : 02 Apr 2012 at 10.0824
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lazar, mr meldrew, the problem in Sothern Thailand was created by the British in 1909. If the British had not handed over Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani to Thailand, there would not have been a separatist movement in Southern Thailand and there would not be an insurgency there and all those bombs would not have exploded.
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gabs

Discussion 23 : 02 Apr 2012 at 00.2823
I don't get, why to do this in they Muslim area ? Muslims killed by Muslims ! If they want bigger story of it , why they not bomb in Bangkok ,or Pattaya , or Phuket ? Anyway Phuket not far ! upset for the Buddhist people there ! In my idea , push all Muslims out from south Thailand to Malaysia ! And make it only Buddhist area ! I know sounds crazy , but like this will be never ending violence there !
from iPhone application.
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lazar
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Discussion 22 : 01 Apr 2012 at 19.5922
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mr.meldrew D21: that will depend on whether the Thai's accept our Armies fee or not.
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mr.meldrew
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Discussion 21 : 01 Apr 2012 at 16.0621
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lazar D15 : Send in the British army? After Thailand's involvement of the bridge over the river Kwai and the death marches and Japanese atrocities committed to allied POW on Thai soil, the British might not be that eager to help.
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txapi
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Discussion 20 : 01 Apr 2012 at 15.2920
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It's a testament of the ineffectual Thai government allowing the massacre of innocent Buddhists to continue. They will shell Cambodia over a few meters of land adjacent to a temple, but stand by cowardly as their own people are slaughtered by the Muslim insurgency in the South.
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pjt
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Discussion 19 : 01 Apr 2012 at 14.4619
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The disturbing thing is that these attacks are aimed at civilian targets and could have killed the insurgents own supporters - so we cannot classify them as some sort of freedom fighter - actually they are murderers. No progress will happen until you identify the community (ie political, religious etc) leaders on both sides who can 'influence' the men of violence to declare a ceasefire whilst a peaceful resolution fair to the rights of both majority and minority (otherwise just another insurgency starts) is negotiated. The civilian power - ie the Thai governemt must take the lead, perhaps by appointing a cabinet position responsible for all activities in the south to lead the search for negotiations and reconciliation
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commee
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Discussion 18 : 01 Apr 2012 at 14.3318
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You should me angry with the terrorist, who are the killers, not the goverenment. It is the terrorists that are killing people.
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