Rubber factory bosses urged to stay

Meanwhile, arson attacks on Friday shook the morale of para-rubber workers in Yala – causing the provincial governor to plan a beef-up of security and other measures.

Pol Lt Col Chaiyos Phophim at Tak Bai police station said the explosion occurred at 9am while eight soldiers from Narathiwat Task Force 31 were patrolling on four motorcycles on a rural road in Tambon Praiwan. The bomb seriously wounded Chief Warrant Officer Theerasak Kaew-in and Pvt Prawit Khamma-i, while Pvt Arthit Boontoon and Pvt Ekkarat Chuchuen were slightly injured. Police blamed insurgents. 

In other news, two security volunteers succumbed to injuries early yesterday, sustained from separate attacks on Friday in Narathiwat’s Jor Irong.

After arson attacks on para-rubber factories on Friday, Yala Governor Detrat Simsiri admitted yesterday some business operators were considered moving out of the area. So he urged them to stay and promised preventive and remedial measures. 

He said Yala aspired to be the para-rubber hub in the South, and that arson attacks on three factories hurt business and rubber farmers. He said he instructed related officials to beef up security in business and industrial areas around the clock. Tax incentives would also be implemented.

Detrat yesterday morning visited the Yang Thai Pak Tai para-rubber factory, where 1,000 tons of para-rubber products worth Bt100 million were destroyed in the fire that engulfed the warehouse building at 3am on Friday. He said he would get local leaders and village defence volunteers to help guard the factories. Worker Rohani Hadeva said she was afraid that the arson would cause her and fellow local daily workers to loose their jobs but the factory’s production head Uthai Sae-hiang said the factory would continue because some 400-500 lives depend on it.