Two Pattani shopowners laundering money, insurgents allege

Saengthit Khatisomsakul, the owner of the Prasert Arphorn shop, and Suriyan Phongmanawut, owner of the Phoo Suwan gold shop, are required to declare their assets and income or they would be seized, he said.
The officer added that insurgents in custody had implicated both men of laundering money for them and a number of drug traffickers. Ringgit can be exchanged for baht at Saengthit’s shop.
Last Saturday, a team from the Internal Security Operation Command’s forward sector in Pattani ordered action against the two businessmen.
Meanwhile, security officials in Narathiwat yesterday raided three homes belonging to close relatives of Marasoh Jantharawadee, a suspected insurgent in Ba Cho district. In the raid, police confiscated a mobile phone, a savings account book and an ATM card to check on the calls made and any monetary transactions they might have had with the suspect.
Two Islamic groups yesterday voiced their opposition to the extension of the emergency decree in the deep South by another three months, saying that revoking strict security laws would help boost confidence in fellow Asean countries and help them coordinate better to end violence in the deep South.
In their statements, the Cross Cultural Foundation and the Muslim Attorney Centre Foundation also called on authorities to support public brainstorming sessions on seeking solutions to the violence.
In Yala, a civilian defence volunteer was shot dead while riding a motorcycle and his service handgun stolen. Police believe the murder of Hasan Saleh, 37, was the work of insurgents.
A meritmaking ceremony was held yesterday in Bannang Sata district to mark the second anniversary of the killing of heroic policeman Pol Colonel Phian Eksomya.
Pol Colonel Suwat Wongphaibool, who took over from Phian as chief of Bannang Sata police, said the late officer’s initiatives to win over local Muslims had been effective, resulting in a drop in violence and a large number of insurgents surrendering to the authorities. New businesses opening up in the district is a clear indication of Phian’s initiatives being a success, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha will go to the South today on a threeday visit to evaluate the situation and discuss the extension of the emergency decree with security officials.