YALA, Thailand - A Thai military helicopter crashed while transporting officers to a base in the country's restive south Wednesday, killing all ten on board, an air force spokesman said.
The cause of the late morning crash was under investigation but authorities had ruled out the involvement of Islamic separatists in the downing of the chopper, Capt. Monthon Suchakorn said.
"We have received report that the air force helicopter crashed and that all ten officers on board were killed," Monthon said. "We believe it might be due to engine failure."
Earlier, Monthon said there were six on board but the rescue team later found the rest of the bodies.
The helicopter was carrying two pilots and two engineers, he said. The rest were research and rescue officers.
The helicopter crashed in Yala province's Bethong district, near the Malaysian border, Monthon said. Yala is among three Muslim-dominated provinces where an insurgency has raged for four years.
More than 3,300 people have been killed since the militants launched their offensive against the Thai government in 2004. Muslims in the south say the central government of mainly Buddhist Thailand discriminates against them, particularly in jobs and education.
The cause of the late morning crash was under investigation but authorities had ruled out the involvement of Islamic separatists in the downing of the chopper, Capt. Monthon Suchakorn said.
"We have received report that the air force helicopter crashed and that all ten officers on board were killed," Monthon said. "We believe it might be due to engine failure."
Earlier, Monthon said there were six on board but the rescue team later found the rest of the bodies.
The helicopter was carrying two pilots and two engineers, he said. The rest were research and rescue officers.
The helicopter crashed in Yala province's Bethong district, near the Malaysian border, Monthon said. Yala is among three Muslim-dominated provinces where an insurgency has raged for four years.
More than 3,300 people have been killed since the militants launched their offensive against the Thai government in 2004. Muslims in the south say the central government of mainly Buddhist Thailand discriminates against them, particularly in jobs and education.
24 comments:
One word I have to say: Karma
I WOULD SAY BLACK MAGIC!
The Helpless People: What Cambodians Owe Their Nation and Heroes
Cambodians once again made shameful decisions on the 2008 general elections that will potentially lead to the end of Cambodian history and sovereignty
By: A. Christopher Windsor
London, 28th July, 2008
It was a shame when I read a news article about Cambodian general elections in 2008 and found out that the majority of Cambodians (who were able to vote) voted for a dictator once again. The difference that Cambodian voters made in the recent elections was that they provided almost two-third of the parliamentary seats to the corrupt and unpatriotic party, namely CPP.
What do these results show us? Simply, the more you educate them, the more irrational they become. One should never blame the lack of education for such destructive results of the 2008 elections. Recently, we have seen the improvement in education of human rights and democracy principles. For example, the public forums and human rights trainings conducted by Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and other organisations have been tremendously effective and have increased the understanding of human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
In addition to that, the outreach of internet has also helped Cambodians living in the city to better understand the outside world and see where the world has been up to. Globalization, on its positive side, has also provided more information to urban Cambodians about the other countries' economies and living standards, compared to which the Cambodian living standard is way below. These are all the advantages that urban Cambodians, namely Phnom Penh residents, have to exploit to make better decisions. Unexpectedly, these people with higher education and better understanding of the outside world made the worst decisions compared to other people across the country. As shown in the unofficial results, CPP has gained more supports in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia—where we would expect better outcomes.
Now let me ask, do you think that the lack of education really played a role in these destructive results? To me, it is obvious that the poor, uneducated countryside voters have stood up for and demanded democracy and change in their homeland more than do the educated Phnom Penh voters. It is also difficult to blame the uneducated for the fact that some of their votes were bought. After all, they are poor and they have the reason to sell their votes for money only to feed their family for one day and ignore the fact that their country will be forever in the dark future. But Phnom Penh voters cannot use the same excuse for the fact that they gave the opportunity to CPP to destroy their homeland.
Who to blame?
Yes, the elections were not transparent. Some votes were bought. Some voters were threatened. And, according to recent news reports, some voters' names were removed from the lists, resulting in an unusually low turnout. However, I would like you to pay attention to the number of votes that CPP received. Do you think CPP could get these many votes only by frauds? I do not think so. It is true that frauds existed in these elections, but without frauds, do you think the
opposition parties, namely HRP and SRP, could together win these élections? I do not think so. CPP would have won the majority seats but probably not as many.
Why do I think so? There are a lot of irrational voters out there who would always ruin the efforts of democracy lovers to pull this nation out of the current darkness. These voters tend to be those who live in the urban areas. They have better living standards and tend to forget that their living standards would be much higher if their country were developed. They have the option to migrate to another country when Cambodia is totally ruined. This group of Cambodian citizens also has acceptable levels of education. With these levels of education—which are not too low but not very high either—these people believe that they are so educated and that therefore they need not to listen to anyone. These people tend to believe that there is nothing beyond their knowledge. What is so sad is that their knowledge is so low.
The followings are what these people believe and why they are wrong:
Cambodia just got out of a huge civil war and it takes time for this country to recover. Why they are wrong: It has been almost 30 years—long enough for any economy to recover if its government is really working. Let us take Japan as an example. The country suffered from the destructive World War II, which was way more destructive than any civil wars Cambodia has ever suffered from. From the 1960s to the 1980s, not too long from the end of WWII, the overall of the Japanese real economic growth has been called a miracle. It did not take Japan longer 30 years to recover its economy and become the world's second biggest economy. We do not have that high expectation for Cambodia, but at least this nation should have shown some real improvement.
Cambodia has a growth rate of 11%; does it not mean Hun Sen government is doing a good job? Why they are wrong: Yes, CPP is doing a good job in bringing money to its elites' pockets. Yes, the growth rate is 11%, but the inflation rate has already hit 18%. What does this mean? Wake up, Cambodians. This means you are poorer. Even if you make twice as much as you did before, but if goods and services are three times more expensive, it means you are poorer. I am also sure that the 11% growth is distributed only among rich CPP members while the 18% inflation affects all Cambodians, including those who voted for CPP.
"I'm voting for a different reason this time - my choice is for a government that can protect Preah Vihear temple," 76 year-old Hok Hour in Phnom Penh's Chamkarmon district quoted in a Phnom Penh Post article. The old man, with not much brain, voted for CPP as he thought this party will protect the temple. Why they are wrong: First, let me ask, how could such an old person with life experience be so brainless? Can you not see that the Preah Vihear issue was a trick Hun Sen played to get votes from such brainless voters? You want a government that can protect Preah Vihear temple but not the Cambodia-Vietnam boarder? What would you do with Preah Vihear temple if the land you were living in was taken away from you? A democratic government would be able to protect not only Preah Vihear temple but all of Cambodian territory.
CPP has built roads, bridges and schools. Why they are wrong: If Cambodia had a better government, the number of roads, bridges and schools built would go up by not twice but 10 times at least. Cambodia accepts a large amount of foreign aid and money from loans. In the case of foreign aid, Cambodian citizens do not have to worry about paying back. In the case loans, however, they all have to pay back. So, watch out, Cambodians! Most of this money does not go to development, but it instead goes to the pockets of CPP members. While the benefits Cambodians receive from such loans are very minimal, they will have to pay back these loans in full amount—plus interest rates in some cases.
By making such shameful decisions, what do these voters owe their nation and hero?
What Cambodians owe their nation
Because of the lack of both social and economic development, Cambodia is potentially heading to the end of its history. As citizens, Cambodians have the legal and moral obligations to prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, as shown in the recent election results, most Cambodians chose not to. Instead, Cambodians chose to indirectly destroy the land that gave life to them. If anything bad happens to Cambodia in the future, we are to blame no one, but Cambodians.
The Vietnamese's fault? The Thais' fault? No. It is all Cambodians' fault. The Vietnamese and the Thais are not smart, but Cambodians are brainless. Cambodia is the only original nation of the Golden Land that is strong enough to survive from its neighbors' invasions. This nation protected itself from losing its sovereignty so that the current generation of Cambodia could live in its homeland peacefully. Unfortunately, the current Cambodians do not take into account the good this nation has offered them.
Only one day before I wrote this paper, Cambodians chose to take a convenient way to the destruction of their nation. They chose to ignore the great values their nation has always offered them. Surprisingly, these Buddhist Cambodians chose not to pay back what they owed their nation. Such an act is against Buddhist philosophy, which believes that you should always pay back what you owe. But who cares?—when the nation is destroyed, its religion will also be destroyed. Cambodians only took a shortcut to such destruction.
What Cambodians owe their heroes
The spirits of patriotic kings, such as Jayavarman II and Jayavarman VII, deserve an explanation from Cambodians who voted for CPP. These kings sacrificed their lives and their happiness to build a nation known as the Khmer Empire, the greatest power in South East Asia from the early 12th century to the early 13th century. If we look at the current situation of Cambodia, their lives have been sacrificed for nothing. I am sure that when these kings gave their lives to serve this nation, they did not know that their people would one day give this nation to the hands of an unpatriotic leader, such as Hun Sen.
When the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh, the Khmer Republic troops fought until the last drops of their blood to prevent communism from spreading into this historic capital city. The spirits of these troops also deserve an explanation from CPP voters. These troops fought against not only the Khmer Rouge but also the communist Vietnam. Today, their children and grandchildren have forgotten all of their efforts. This current generate has already given the power to a pro-Vietnamese government.
The worst is that this current generation has also ignored the recent hero who was imprisoned not too long ago. I need not to mention his name as we should all know who he is. This human rights activist decided not to leave his nation and Cambodians behind. He sacrificed his own wellbeing to protect freedom of speech for Cambodian citizens. And sure enough, these people have already forgotten him and his patriotic act. Someone told me that if you do not forget your people they will never forget you. This is apparently wrong in the case of Cambodian CCP voters.
How many people have been killed by the current government? Did they already forget monks and protestors who were attacked and killed by the government force in 1998? Did they not remember the FUNCINPEC troops who were killed during the 1997 coup? Some reporters and the former Labour Union leader Chea Vichea were killed, leaving sorrow for their families and friends. What did these people sacrifice for? It was all of Cambodians, wasn't it? Is that how Cambodians pay them back, by voting for the person who killed these heroes?
What do CPP voters owe these people?
Their lives.
To those who voted for CPP: You owe your nation and heroes. And you owe them big. Cambodians who voted for CPP are betrayers. They betrayed not only their nation and heroes, but also themselves. They will have to pay back and we will see this when the corrupt government takes their land away, cuts down trees and ruins the whole economy.
My last words: Who am I to tell you all of these? Well, I am no one. I am only a British economist who happens to have been to Cambodia many times (Cambodia is like my second home). I have once fallen in love with this country and its culture. Please excuse my language and any mistakes I might have made in this paper as I wrote it out of anger and disappointment.
I say die you Thaicong mother fuckers and die you must!
The Crash may be caused by Bun Rany's Margic Spell/or Black Margic....
May be the copter was shot down by Islamic group for real. You know how Thai are, always try to hide their shame.
Prah viharn, Prasat Tamuan, Cham sagnam and Koh Kong Halek etc.. de jure and de facto belong to thailand because more percent of thais people have chance to visit the sites, and all modern infrastructure/raod are well connected from Thailand and mostly are constructed and developed by Thailand.
Kham do nothing with those prasats...letf them lonely for long time.
Chatchai
You THAI must learn from this and try not to send helicopters or F-16s to Cambodian border or reporters will be very busy reporting your planes crashes. Remember F-16A/B cost US$14.6 million per unit and F-16C/D: US$18.8 million per unit.
To 10:19AM
Who is telling you Thaicong mother fucker to do anything on Cambodian soil and don't you Thaicong mother fucker know anything better to do thing not being told because Cambodian can build all modern infrastructure/road from Cambodia too to attract tourists!
This is the heart of the fucken Thaicong-Cambodian conflict and the fucken Thaicong think that they know too much more than Cambodian and they like to go ahead do thing to violate Cambodian sovereignty to gain economic over Cambodia and then they try to claim their righteousness!
Fuck you Thaicong mother fucker and if you are not asked to do anything and you Thaicong mother fucker need to stay on your side of the border and no thank for your shitty infrastructure and road! Your fucken Thaicong roads are no more than a new Thaicong borderline in disguise aiming to steal Cambodian land!
It is the nature of the Thaicong to lie, to cheat, and to steal!
10:51Am
Your Leaders produce nothing just land Grabbing within campuchia...Borrowing money from foreing donors.. building their vilas/ properties... leave your border areas quiet nothing developed just Grabbing land from your poor- unarmed country men......
so that thailand has to build roads for them in Grant and/or loans.... later on we'll take as our belongings...
Wichai
To 11:09AM
Shut the fuck up Wichai Thaicong bitch! Your fucken road is your new border line!
Fuck you and your road!
The only problem is that I will be there to put a bullet in your head Wichai. I have nothing against you but I must defend my land.
Chatchai and Wichai please join our petition for the ICJ.
Thanks.
Siamo-Viet Co-Colonisation=campuchia
Chatchai
Your petition is useless as we learned from the past of Viet -cam border treaty.......
you just bark from oversea but nonesense..
as Sen peng Se done nothing.....
I myself also joint your petetion in 2000 in Brussel/Belgium I was to fisrt in the list but Useless now........I met Mr. Sen Peng Se....there...
Can you make your petition more effective???
Helecop. Crash killed some thai armies because Bun Rany/Yeay Phou's margic spell/Black margic ????
Cambodia people is poor and the road are not good the sam in thailand,
but I see many Temple in cambodai are verry woderfull in the world that other coutry can not do, for ex: thai they can build the road the hous but they can not buil the temple, but thai alway a robber from cambodia( land temple culture.....)
I just know alitle story about thailand and cambodia
France_lao
If I am a real Thai leader like Bhumibol I would teach my people to be humble not to be arrogant slut, because when we are too arrogant we will be spanked by our Karma later. When we are humble people, and reach out to help Khmers, al Khmers in srok Khmer will join with Siam or Thailand and Thailand will gain more land and own all the Khmer Hindu Temples.
But ah Thai facism are dumb that is why they have to face ah Hun thugs.
About dreaming to take Cambodia, yeah keep dreaming, Cambodia is already sold to China. Thailand and Vietnam were already sold to China. Just check it out most chinese are business rich people in Hanoi, Saigon, Bangkok.
Thais use the Fake Maps to grab Khmer land....
Phnom Penh Admin. use fake Land Title deeds to Grab Khmer people's Land..
Excellency Bandit Achar Knoy
11:09 AM
Pleasae use highly-cultural Language as other educated people...do
As to show that you are Kham with
past-present Civilisation....
How young are you !!!!
PERHAPS, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FLY THE HELICOPTER?
No sir/ Margic Spell of Bun rany
Thais will die all if they still want to steal cambodian soil. i believe this black margic when i lived in Cambodia in the past 10 years.
Roberto_ France
As respresenting yourself as the "Ownner of Prah Vihan" please use civilised language as ordinary educated people used to use
" Your language imlpies/reflexes your bahaviour, Culture.. and also your family's...."
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