MAF soldiers in Thailand
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Two different reports from yahoo news and The Stars. The reports caught my following attentions:
1. MAF soldiers in civilian clothings when caught. What were they doing there?
2. They are experienced soldiers who served in Bosnia conflict peacekeeping missions and they are based in JB. (My conclusion: MAF based their best soldiers in the south)
They had been released after both countries' PMs and Defense Ministers met each other.
Anyone knows what actually happened?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040411/1/3jesk.html
Sunday April 11, 12:47 PM
Lost Malaysian soldiers detained by Thailand to be released
Five Malaysian soldiers who were detained after crossing the border into neighbouring Thailand during a joint border patrol are to be released soon, according to a news report.
The four sergeants and a corporal had strayed some 300 to 500 metres into Thai territory while on a routine mission to pick up supplies last Thursday and are expected to be released later Sunday, the New Straits Times said.
"The rest of their platoon were a safe distance behind Malaysia's border, but the five, despite having maps, a global positioning system and a compass, probably erred in their navigation due to the dense jungle terrain," Malaysian army chief General Mohamad Azumi Mohamed was quoted as saying.
The five, reportedly clad in T-shirts and not wearing their military identification tags, were then picked up by the Thai military after local villagers sighted them.
They are being held in the Ingkhayuttaborehan camp of the Fourth Army Command in Nongchik district, the report said.
Malaysia and Thailand are currently conducting a joint border patrol following a wave of violence in southern Thailand that has left some 60 people dead.
The operation, launched last month, will end on Wednesday and Azumi said both sides would assess the need for future joint patrols.
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is due to hold talks on the security situation with his Thai counterpart Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday.
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This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)
URL:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/12/nation/7747552&sec=nation
Monday April 12, 2004
Thai army delays soldiersÂ’ release
BY SYED AZHAR
PATTANI: The five Malaysian soldiers held by the Thai military after straying into a village in Yala on Thursday will be further detained at the South Region army camp here.
South Region commander Lt-Gen Pisan Watanatwongkiri said he had no choice but to continue detaining the soldiers because the authorities were still in the dark as to why they had strayed into Thai territory.
“We have to detain them longer because they have given five different accounts of why they entered Thailand.
“Owing to the critical situation in this region, we have to hold them until the Malaysian Army confirms their identities and actual mission here,” he said at the military command centre in Inkayut Borikhan here yesterday.
On April 8, Thai military personnel arrested the soldiers, who were from the 10th Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment based at Camp Majidee in Johor Baru after they were found in the Khun Tong village in Than To district, Yala.
It was reported that the five had encroached some 300m to 500m into Thai territory while the rest of their platoon members were safely behind the Malaysian border.
According to reports in Thai newspapers, the soldiers were found with M203 rifles, a grenade launcher and a map.
Lt-Gen Pisan said preliminary investigations showed the five soldiers were experienced and had served under the United Nations banner in Bosnia-Herzegovina but the discrepancy between their accounts had led to suspicions that their mission in Thailand was not legitimate.
“Because of the unrest here, we cannot take the chance and free them,” he said, adding that he wanted to meet Army field commander Lt-Jen Datuk Abdul Aziz Zainal to get to the bottom of the matter before releasing the soldiers. -
My suspicion is that these MAF soldiers have something to do with the unrest in southern thailand. Perhaps they were inciting them, or were providing some means to help the rebels.
Otherwise, WHY the CV attire, but why still carry arms? No military identification. Perhaps they were not meant to be caught alive? -
A few years back, personnel in civillian attire onboard a M'sia police/customs craft travelling in high speed towards SG at Johor Straits was detected by SG Police Coast Guard. The Coast Guard gave chase but the craft made a turn back to M'sia.
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maybe they go there to enjoy their weekend?
maybe they try to AWOL?Originally posted by 84mmrr:Two different reports from yahoo news and The Stars. The reports caught my following attentions:
1. MAF soldiers in civilian clothings when caught. What were they doing there?
2. They are experienced soldiers who served in Bosnia conflict peacekeeping missions and they are based in JB. (My conclusion: MAF based their best soldiers in the south)
They had been released after both countries' PMs and Defense Ministers met each other.
Anyone knows what actually happened?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/040411/1/3jesk.html
Sunday April 11, 12:47 PM
Lost Malaysian soldiers detained by Thailand to be released
Five Malaysian soldiers who were detained after crossing the border into neighbouring Thailand during a joint border patrol are to be released soon, according to a news report.
The four sergeants and a corporal had strayed some 300 to 500 metres into Thai territory while on a routine mission to pick up supplies last Thursday and are expected to be released later Sunday, the New Straits Times said.
"The rest of their platoon were a safe distance behind Malaysia's border, but the five, despite having maps, a global positioning system and a compass, probably erred in their navigation due to the dense jungle terrain," Malaysian army chief General Mohamad Azumi Mohamed was quoted as saying.
The five, reportedly clad in T-shirts and not wearing their military identification tags, were then picked up by the Thai military after local villagers sighted them.
They are being held in the Ingkhayuttaborehan camp of the Fourth Army Command in Nongchik district, the report said.
Malaysia and Thailand are currently conducting a joint border patrol following a wave of violence in southern Thailand that has left some 60 people dead.
The operation, launched last month, will end on Wednesday and Azumi said both sides would assess the need for future joint patrols.
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is due to hold talks on the security situation with his Thai counterpart Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)
URL:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/12/nation/7747552&sec=nation
Monday April 12, 2004
Thai army delays soldiersÂ’ release
BY SYED AZHAR
PATTANI: The five Malaysian soldiers held by the Thai military after straying into a village in Yala on Thursday will be further detained at the South Region army camp here.
South Region commander Lt-Gen Pisan Watanatwongkiri said he had no choice but to continue detaining the soldiers because the authorities were still in the dark as to why they had strayed into Thai territory.
“We have to detain them longer because they have given five different accounts of why they entered Thailand.
“Owing to the critical situation in this region, we have to hold them until the Malaysian Army confirms their identities and actual mission here,” he said at the military command centre in Inkayut Borikhan here yesterday.
On April 8, Thai military personnel arrested the soldiers, who were from the 10th Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment based at Camp Majidee in Johor Baru after they were found in the Khun Tong village in Than To district, Yala.
It was reported that the five had encroached some 300m to 500m into Thai territory while the rest of their platoon members were safely behind the Malaysian border.
According to reports in Thai newspapers, the soldiers were found with M203 rifles, a grenade launcher and a map.
Lt-Gen Pisan said preliminary investigations showed the five soldiers were experienced and had served under the United Nations banner in Bosnia-Herzegovina but the discrepancy between their accounts had led to suspicions that their mission in Thailand was not legitimate.
“Because of the unrest here, we cannot take the chance and free them,” he said, adding that he wanted to meet Army field commander Lt-Jen Datuk Abdul Aziz Zainal to get to the bottom of the matter before releasing the soldiers. -
Sigh this only prove something.... that malaysia have to spend more money in their navigation equipments..... if it is really war time when you are being caught by enemy u shld not surrender your maps to them..... this heros really powerful lor... some more they are serg and corporal... who in malaysia are suppose to be old vetran soldiers.....