Paradorn told to avoid long explanations, hire spokesman
Play
NSC chief undermining his credibility by saying too much, Democrat MP warns
Democrat party-list MP Peerayos Rahimmula yesterday called on National Security Council (NSC) secretary general Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanathabutr to assign a spokesman to explain the facts about the peace dialogue to Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), Malaysia and the public. He added that as the team leader, Paradorn did not need to explain everything.
After reports about the BRN claiming that Thai officials had breached the Ramadan ceasefire conditions, leading to attacks in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, Paradorn insisted that the Thai side had followed the procedure and nobody had breached any part of the agreement.
In response to this, Peerayos said Paradorn should not be explaining everything personally because it was not appropriate and undermined his credibility.
Meanwhile, three operative teams of 36 paramilitary rangers engaged in a gunfight early yesterday with Runda Kumpalan Kecil (RKK) insurgents on Tawae Mountain in Narathiwat’s Rangae district. They later raided the insurgents’ base and seized various items including 53 rounds of M16 ammunition and seven camouflage uniforms.
As part of the “4569” strategic plan, the team trekked for 12 hours since Sunday to find the RKK base in the mountain. They went on the hunt after receiving a tip-off that wanted insurgents chose to lie low at this base. During the raid, the teams found 10 suspected insurgents in the valley where six shacks had been built and engaged in a 30-minute gunfight before the suspects fled. No injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, Army deputy spokesman Colonel Winthai Suwaree said the troops were not employing violence in the operations to search and arrest suspects during the holy month of Ramadan. He cited the incident on Friday in which suspected insurgent Masupian Mama, 35, was killed, saying the suspect was the first to open fire.
Winthai cited the peaceful arrest and later bail release of bombing suspect Amlee Jehsoh as an example of the authorities’ intention not to use violence.
As for the operation in Tawae Mountain in Narathiwat, he said it had been completed peacefully, though ill-intentioned people used camouflage uniforms, like the seven found in the camp, to make the public believe that the troops were to blame for the attacks.
Meanwhile, at about 7am yesterday, Thai authorities found banners campaigning for the ousting of Army and police officers, such as Paradorn and Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre chief Thawee Sodsong. The banners were found in 38 locations in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai, Rangae, Muang, Sungai Padi, Waeng, Joh I Rong, Chanae and Bacho districts.
The authorities have also beefed up security in the area, especially at temples during the Buddhist religious holidays.
Separately, in Narathiwat’s Rusoh district police yesterday arrested one of two suspects wanted for the death on Friday of former paramilitary ranger Asmadee Awaeniya, 24.
The suspect is Nirossali Tohni, 28, who was wanted along with his elusive accomplice Masaru Kareng, 29. The victim’s wife Is-ham, who was also injured in the shooting, identified Nirossali as the one riding a motorcycle for the shooter Masaru, but Nirossali denied any wrongdoing.
