Army movements

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 26, 2007, 9:30 pm

Has anyone else noticed a sharp increase in the local involvment of the army recently? Out here in the Nong Wor Sor, Non Wai and Nong Orr areas, since last Saturday we have had army road blocks on the major roads. This is serious stuff with the soldiers sporting AK47's, wearing flak jackets and the road block having large (Anti-tank?) concrete blocks. Very reminiscent of Belfast in the old days.Even digging trenches. The local police either don't know, or aren't saying whats going on, so even I am in the dark. Are other areas experiencing this movement?

Post by **Doc** » March 27, 2007, 1:00 am

They are probably watching you and Stan very closely.

Post by **Tony Croweater** » March 27, 2007, 4:51 am

Anyone expand on this rather disturbing development?

Post by **farang** » March 27, 2007, 5:02 am

Doc wrote:They are probably watching you and Stan very closely.

yes he's a very dodgy guy

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 27, 2007, 5:35 am

I don't think frivolity is needed here. This is a serious developement, consider these facts. We are at least 150kms from the nearest border, not on a recognised approach road, so it is unlikely to be a perceived threat from a neighbouring country. The army personnel are wearing flak jackets, so they must think they are likely to be shot at. They are bearing military assault weapons.Who do they think are the potential targets? If it was a law enforcement exercise, why the military, not the police?The questions they ask are the normal, where you go, where you come from sort.As far as I have seen, there is no vehicle search. Whats the point? Scare tactics?
Not having heard of similar check points elsewhere, I assume its purely local. Why? Very worrying

Post by **beer monkey** » March 27, 2007, 5:49 am

i know its the other end of the country but any connection anywhere local with the hostility's in the south.... just a thought.

Post by **skipvice** » March 27, 2007, 6:50 am

How about just a training exercise?

Post by **Dakoda** » March 27, 2007, 7:14 am

shh, but rumor has it that are x pm might be trying to sneak into the country. Maybe in the hopes of saving his wife.

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 27, 2007, 8:15 am

[quote="beer monkey"]i know its the other end of the country but any connection anywhere local with the hostility's in the south.... just a thought.[/quot
No obvious connection, but last evening army personnel visited all local businesses advising them on security, check bins, packages lying around etc.
So it does seem to be connected to similar incidents down south.

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 27, 2007, 8:17 am

skipvice wrote:How about just a training exercise?

Training for what? Civilian insurgents.?

Post by **BKKSTAN** » March 27, 2007, 9:01 am

valentine wrote:
skipvice wrote:How about just a training exercise?
Training for what? Civilian insurgents.?

Thaksin supporters,or maybe the Bangkok bombers,just can't decide whether to go North or South!Mai Phen Rai

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 27, 2007, 9:21 am

I wasn't really seeking speculation on this, I am capable of doing my own. What I really wanted to know was, is it confined to my locality , or have others elsewhere noticed this activity.It would seem not, so it must have a local connection.Thanks anyway everyone that replied.

Post by **Aardvark** » March 27, 2007, 11:07 am

Valentine,according to the Bangkok Post over the last couple of weeks the Army commanders in each district in the north of the country have been given new powers with the lead up to the thaksin corruption hearings about to begin. Bangkok is worried about the huge support that the farming community still have for thaksin,and some say there are ellements in the North who are willing to go to extremes to show there support and cause more head aches for the interim government. However it is still possible they are simply going through some dress rehearsals before deployment to the South.

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 27, 2007, 11:57 am

Aardvark wrote:Valentine,according to the Bangkok Post over the last couple of weeks the Army commanders in each district in the north of the country have been given new powers with the lead up to the thaksin corruption hearings about to begin. Bangkok is worried about the huge support that the farming community still have for thaksin,and some say there are ellements in the North who are willing to go to extremes to show there support and cause more head aches for the interim government. However it is still possible they are simply going through some dress rehearsals before deployment to the South.

Yes I would tend to go with the first theory, but would have expected a wider deployment.

Post by **Dakoda** » March 27, 2007, 9:47 pm

Dakoda wrote:shh, but rumor has it that our x PM might be trying to sneak back into the country. Maybe in the hopes of saving his wife.

Thanks for the size increase

Val, you are all alone on this one

Best stay inside

Post by **FrazeeDK** » March 27, 2007, 10:51 pm

I'd incline toward it being a pre-deployment training exercise before a particular battalion goes to the South. Might as well practice it right in a place where no one is heaving grenades, planting bombs or shooting at you..
The operation described sounds exactly the tactics a military unit would use down south.. And out in Nong Wua Sor, that's west of Udon and down the valley right?? Away from the big city and big towns.. A rural landscape probably again quite similar to what they'd encounter down south..

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 28, 2007, 8:12 pm

FrazeeDK wrote:I'd incline toward it being a pre-deployment training exercise before a particular battalion goes to the South. Might as well practice it right in a place where no one is heaving grenades, planting bombs or shooting at you..
The operation described sounds exactly the tactics a military unit would use down south.. And out in Nong Wua Sor, that's west of Udon and down the valley right?? Away from the big city and big towns.. A rural landscape probably again quite similar to what they'd encounter down south..

The road blocks have been dismantled but the troops are still camped up here. Your posting was more or less the official explanation that has been given for their being here. Another mystery solved by our intrepid forum members.I do so hate not knowing whats going on on my patch.

Post by **beer monkey** » March 28, 2007, 8:27 pm

Oh well we got the "south" connection right,hope you kept the troops topped up with pots of Tea and cake's val.

valentine · Post by **valentine** » March 28, 2007, 9:00 pm

beer monkey wrote:Oh well we got the "south" connection right,hope you kept the troops topped up with pots of Tea and cake's val.

Point an AK47 at me and you can have Chivas. Don't try it though

Post by **Tony Croweater** » March 29, 2007, 7:32 am

Or perhaps the exercise was more to do with the prospect of a state of emergency being declared in Bangkok...

Quoting from The Nation today - "Emergency on agenda as Surayud meets CNS" - "Police and military officers yesterday set up checkpoints along the highways in Nakhon Ratchasima [...] in an attempt to block prospective protesters from joining rallies in the capital"

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