Who was behind all the random violence in Bangkok?
By Jon Fernquest
Who
carried out the series of random attacks that plagued Bangkok for so many weeks
during the red shirt protests in Bangkok?This was the question that everyone was asking but no one could answer.
This is also the question that today's article seeks to answer.
Today's article is an extract from an analysis by veteran Bangkok Post journalist Wassana Nanuam based on her sources in the military. The longer article can be read here.
Today's article begins after the vocabulary below.
(Photo on the right is of the recently deceased rogue military officer known as "Seh Daeng", also see a picture worth a thousand words)
random - happening
without pattern, purpose, system or connection ซึ่งไม่มีแบบแผน
X was behind Y - was the or a cause of event Y
X plagued Y - X caused Y a big problem
extract - a small part of a larger article or text ข้อความที่คัดเลือกมาจากหนังสือ
analysis - studying something closely in great detail to understand and explain it การวิเคราะห์
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
deceased - already died ซึ่งตายแล้ว
recently deceased - died a short time ago
rogue - not behaving like other members of the group and likely to cause problems and danger อันธพาล, ซึ่งผิดแผกและแยกตัวออกจากกลุ่ม
military officer - a person in the miltary who has a high level position and decision-making responsibility (See Wikipedia)
X was behind Y - was the or a cause of event Y
X plagued Y - X caused Y a big problem
extract - a small part of a larger article or text ข้อความที่คัดเลือกมาจากหนังสือ
analysis - studying something closely in great detail to understand and explain it การวิเคราะห์
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
deceased - already died ซึ่งตายแล้ว
recently deceased - died a short time ago
rogue - not behaving like other members of the group and likely to cause problems and danger อันธพาล, ซึ่งผิดแผกและแยกตัวออกจากกลุ่ม
military officer - a person in the miltary who has a high level position and decision-making responsibility (See Wikipedia)
Opinion
FROM THE BARRACKS
Thwarted for now, the red tide still runs deep
22/05/2010Wassana Nanuam
....An army source revealed that Seh Daeng's faction consisted of only about 10 people, most of them trained in the use of M79 grenade launchers. The "un identified militant group" meanwhile included about 20 people - former rangers, former police, former soldiers as well as some who are still in service.
Yet another faction is a small private army of about 20 personnel who work for an influential figure in Bangkok
The source said that although Seh Daeng coordinated these groups, mapped out strategies and tactics to counter any offensive move by the government and army, he did not command the forces. Each faction reported to its own chief. They were only temporarily allied to help the red shirts
thwarted - prevented
from doing what they wanted to do
tide - the regular rise and fall of the level of the sea (the tides) ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้นน้ำลง, กระแสน้ำขึ้นน้ำลง
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
faction - a small group of people within a large one ก๊ก, มุ้ง, ฝ่าย
grenade - a small bomb that someone throws or fires from a gun ระเิบิดลูกเล็ก, ลูกระเบิดเล็ก
grenade launcher - a big gun that shoots grenades
identified - named ระบุชื่อ
unidentified - not identified
militant - someone who uses violent methods to achieve something นักรบ, ผู้ทำสงคราม
in service - is now a soldier, still in the military
personnel - people who work for a company or organisation
influential - can control events because they are powerful ที่มีอิทธิพลต่อ
figure - someone who is important in some way บุคคลสำคัญ
coordinated - working together to achieve a goal ทำงานร่วมกัน
mapped out - planned
strategies - long-term plans for success in competition กลยุทธ
tactics - particular methods for achieving something กลเม็ดเด็ดพราย
counter - to take action against, oppose or stop something ต่อต้าน
offensive - attacking, competing and taking action to win
defensive - protecting from attack, trying to prevent someone from winning
temporarily - only for a limited time; not permanent ชั่วคราว
command forces - control and direct soldiers by giving them orders
faction - one of many smaller groups in a larger group, all these groups are opposed or fighting with each other
allied - joining together with others to work and achieve (example: allied with another country in war)
tide - the regular rise and fall of the level of the sea (the tides) ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้นน้ำลง, กระแสน้ำขึ้นน้ำลง
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
faction - a small group of people within a large one ก๊ก, มุ้ง, ฝ่าย
grenade - a small bomb that someone throws or fires from a gun ระเิบิดลูกเล็ก, ลูกระเบิดเล็ก
grenade launcher - a big gun that shoots grenades
identified - named ระบุชื่อ
unidentified - not identified
militant - someone who uses violent methods to achieve something นักรบ, ผู้ทำสงคราม
in service - is now a soldier, still in the military
personnel - people who work for a company or organisation
influential - can control events because they are powerful ที่มีอิทธิพลต่อ
figure - someone who is important in some way บุคคลสำคัญ
coordinated - working together to achieve a goal ทำงานร่วมกัน
mapped out - planned
strategies - long-term plans for success in competition กลยุทธ
tactics - particular methods for achieving something กลเม็ดเด็ดพราย
counter - to take action against, oppose or stop something ต่อต้าน
offensive - attacking, competing and taking action to win
defensive - protecting from attack, trying to prevent someone from winning
temporarily - only for a limited time; not permanent ชั่วคราว
command forces - control and direct soldiers by giving them orders
faction - one of many smaller groups in a larger group, all these groups are opposed or fighting with each other
allied - joining together with others to work and achieve (example: allied with another country in war)
After Seh Daeng was shot on May 13 and died four days later on May 17, the army sent Special Force soldiers to shadow leaders of the militant groups so they could not get into the protest area. That is why the army did not run into a fierce and fatal resistance from armed men as they did on April 10.
All this of course does not mean that the army would not be able to reclaim Ratchaprasong if Seh Daeng were still alive. One maverick soldier, no matter how foolhardy, would not stand a chance against 30,000-strong troops deployed for the Ratchaprasong operation. The most he could do would be to make it a little more difficult for the army.
X shadows Y - X
follows Y to see and check on what they are doing
fierce - very intense and very aggressive
fatal - causing someone to die ถึงตาย
resistance - opposing, working and fighting against something (example: the soldiers encountered resistance when they attacked the fort)
reclaim - to take back something that was yours เรียกกลับคืน, เอากลับ
maverick - a person who acts or thinks independently, different from the usual or expected (See glossary)
foolhardy - foolish, without good sense and judgement
no matter how foolhardy - could be as foolish as you want (it is still true)
a chance - the possibility that something may happen to you or you may get something
stand a chance - it is possible (that you will succeed or survive)
don't stand a chance - it is not possible (that you will succeed or survive)
deployed - prepare a resource so that it is ready to be used
fierce - very intense and very aggressive
fatal - causing someone to die ถึงตาย
resistance - opposing, working and fighting against something (example: the soldiers encountered resistance when they attacked the fort)
reclaim - to take back something that was yours เรียกกลับคืน, เอากลับ
maverick - a person who acts or thinks independently, different from the usual or expected (See glossary)
foolhardy - foolish, without good sense and judgement
no matter how foolhardy - could be as foolish as you want (it is still true)
a chance - the possibility that something may happen to you or you may get something
stand a chance - it is possible (that you will succeed or survive)
don't stand a chance - it is not possible (that you will succeed or survive)
deployed - prepare a resource so that it is ready to be used
It is also believed that if Seh Daeng had not been killed, he would have fought to the death when the army advanced into the besieged junction.
Considering the circumstances, it is no surprise that the government and army are the prime suspects of being behind the assassination of Seh Daeng.
The Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd has denied this. Why would the army or government try to get rid of Seh Daeng when one lone man would be no match to an army anyway? So said Col Sansern, who also hails from the same cavalry unit as Seh Daeng.
advanced - moved
forward
siege - a military blockade of a city or fortress to conquer it by attrition or assault (SeeWikipedia)
besieged - when a siege is being carried out against a fortified place
junction - the place where two or more roads meet
circumstances - situation, conditions in which we live
prime - main or most important ที่สำคัญที่สุด
suspects - people that the police think might be guilty of a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย
assassination - the murder of a government official or a famous person
denied - said it was not true
lone - single เดี่ยว หนึ่งเดียว
match - to look the same as or very similar to something else ซึ่งไม่คู่ควร
hails from - comes from
cavalry - the part of the army that uses tanks and other armored vehicles like APCs or the "air cavalry" which uses helicopters (See Wikipedia)
cavalry unit - one group of soldiers and equipment that is cavalry
siege - a military blockade of a city or fortress to conquer it by attrition or assault (SeeWikipedia)
besieged - when a siege is being carried out against a fortified place
junction - the place where two or more roads meet
circumstances - situation, conditions in which we live
prime - main or most important ที่สำคัญที่สุด
suspects - people that the police think might be guilty of a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย
assassination - the murder of a government official or a famous person
denied - said it was not true
lone - single เดี่ยว หนึ่งเดียว
match - to look the same as or very similar to something else ซึ่งไม่คู่ควร
hails from - comes from
cavalry - the part of the army that uses tanks and other armored vehicles like APCs or the "air cavalry" which uses helicopters (See Wikipedia)
cavalry unit - one group of soldiers and equipment that is cavalry
It is undeniable that Seh Daeng was a man with many enemies. The army specialist seemed to know that his life was in danger for he always went to great lengths to avoid being exposed. He took refuge in the middle of the protest area. When travelling, he often rode pillion on a motorcycle with another guard sitting behind him. Seh Daeng never ate any food or took any drink offered to him by strangers. His only mistake was to cross over from his own line of defence to give interviews to reporters.
undeniable
- is a fact that you cannot argue about
army specialist - a rank in the army (See Wikipedia)
went to great lengths to - did many things in order to..., tried very hard to...
exposed - not protected from something ได้รับ ได้สัมผัส (แดด หรือสารพิษ เป็นต้น)
refuge - a place where you go to protect yourself from something dangerous or threatening ที่ลี้ภัย ที่หลบภัย
rode pillion on a motorcycle - riding on the back of a motorcycle
defence - protection from being attacked and hurt by someone
interviews - asking a person a series of questions to get information (for example: to decide whether to hire them (job interview) or to publish an article about them)
army specialist - a rank in the army (See Wikipedia)
went to great lengths to - did many things in order to..., tried very hard to...
exposed - not protected from something ได้รับ ได้สัมผัส (แดด หรือสารพิษ เป็นต้น)
refuge - a place where you go to protect yourself from something dangerous or threatening ที่ลี้ภัย ที่หลบภัย
rode pillion on a motorcycle - riding on the back of a motorcycle
defence - protection from being attacked and hurt by someone
interviews - asking a person a series of questions to get information (for example: to decide whether to hire them (job interview) or to publish an article about them)
Even though he had been fully aware that he might be stalked by snipers, he did not believe they could take him out. "A sniper would not be able to claim the life of Seh Daeng," he once boasted.
The government and the army may have prevailed today, but they have definitely not won the war. The wound is deep in the heart of the red shirt movement. From now on, skirmishes and guerrilla attacks as well as opportunistic arson attacks can happen any time and nobody knows when they will end.
Bangkok could become like the restive deep South. It is a vision that no one wants to come true.
Wassana Nanuam reports on military affairs for the Bangkok Post
aware
- knowing that something exists, or having knowledge or experience of a
particular thing ทราบ
fully aware - know fully and completely
take him out - shoot and kill him
stalked - follow someone (in order to do something bad to them)
sniper - soldiers highly trained in shooting targets accurately with high-precision rifles from concealed positions or long distances (See Wikipedia)
claim the life of - killed
boasted - proudly telling people about something you did to impress them and make them look up to and admire you
prevailed - won, beat their opponent
wound - an injury in which your skin or flesh is damaged, usually seriously บาดเจ็บ, บาดแผล
skirmishe - small fight
guerrilla - of a military group that is not official and usually wants to change a political situation, operates secretly with unexpected attacks (See Wikipedia) กลุ่มทหารกองโจร
opportunistic - (negative) person uses every opportunity to benefit himself
restive - dissatisfied and difficult to control ซึ่งควบคุมยาก
vision - the ability to imagine how a country, society, industry, etc. could develop in the future and to plan in a suitable way วิสัยทัศน์
affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ
fully aware - know fully and completely
take him out - shoot and kill him
stalked - follow someone (in order to do something bad to them)
sniper - soldiers highly trained in shooting targets accurately with high-precision rifles from concealed positions or long distances (See Wikipedia)
claim the life of - killed
boasted - proudly telling people about something you did to impress them and make them look up to and admire you
prevailed - won, beat their opponent
wound - an injury in which your skin or flesh is damaged, usually seriously บาดเจ็บ, บาดแผล
skirmishe - small fight
guerrilla - of a military group that is not official and usually wants to change a political situation, operates secretly with unexpected attacks (See Wikipedia) กลุ่มทหารกองโจร
opportunistic - (negative) person uses every opportunity to benefit himself
restive - dissatisfied and difficult to control ซึ่งควบคุมยาก
vision - the ability to imagine how a country, society, industry, etc. could develop in the future and to plan in a suitable way วิสัยทัศน์
affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ
(Source: Bangkok Post, Opinion, FROM THE BARRACKS, Thwarted for now, the red tide still runs deep, 22/05/2010, Wassana Nanuam, link)
