Casualties on the rise after Ramadan ceasefire ends
The so called “Ramadan Peace Initiative”, involving a 40-day ceasefire between the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and the Thai government expired on August 18. Casualties in August were higher than in July but the number of killed (15) remains lower than since December 2012 (with the exception of July 2013). 52 persons were injured, leaving total casualties at 67 persons in August. Over 70% of this month’s casualties were caused by improvised explosive devices (IED), typically causing more injuries than fatalities.
Most casualties were found in Narathiwat province (30 victims) while Pattani and Yala provinces reported 18 and 19 casualties respectively. With the exception of last month, Pattani province has been more peaceful in August than since December 2012.
Incidents defy common travel advice
In travel safety advisories for Southern Thailand, it is commonly recommended to avoid travel during nighttime. Although this is sound advice, as approximately 36 % of attacks occur between 7 PM and 6 AM, the most dangerous time over the past year has actually been during the morning hours (6-12 AM). 46% of casualties were caused in the morning as many attacks are carried out while people travel to work. This holds true also for military casualties as many of those injured or killed over the past month were providing security for teachers travelling to work. Most of the casualties over the past month have been military or police personnel and defense volunteers (38 of 67). Teachers and personnel employed in local administration have also been targeted (approximately 9 % of casualties).
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