Police informant crucified in Thailand’s Deep South
This is based on a very sketchy translation of tomorrow’s edition of Bangkok’s Daily News newspaper. On April 26, suspected insurgents in Yala shot dead a 22-year-old informant and nailed his body to the middle of the road.
The informant, who had been shot in the back of the neck with a 9mm pistol, was dragged to the middle of the road by insurgents who forced six-inch nails through his arms, legs and head to pin him to the ground in the shape of a cross.
This is the front page story. The prominent phrase in the headline is “Dtok-dta-bpoo!” which translates, I think, as “knock nails”.
Obviously I’m not suggesting that the fact his body was in the shape of a cross is significant or symbolic, but this story caught my attention because of the brutality of the incident.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I sure think you can see the cross symbolic. Also think the insurgents acted very polite by killing the victim first. Their “friends” in Iraq and Afghanistan are not that subtle
But hey, neither were “we” in the Dark Ages.
Are the 4 provinces in the South that important to Thailand? The annexation of the area was only formalized in 1909, so evacuate the Buddhist minority and give it back to Malaya. Wrap it in nicely.. good luck with it.
April 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
While I don’t feel PeterS and I would agree on much else, I do think the body being laid out in a crucifixion-esque manner is significant if only, like you mention, for its brutality if nothing else.
April 30th, 2008 at 4:21 am
its pretty mindless stuff by the sounds of it either way. symbolic? theres no definate message in any of it. maybe they’re radical conceptual artists but i doubt it.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Thanks for stopping by, Terry. Are you still on the radio?
April 30th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
occasionally. those bastards at the bbc tell me im out of touch though. how dare they? which is why i now post on thai related blogs, its the fast track back to being the king of broadcasting.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 am
terrywogan is Terry Wogan chaimai?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radio2/terrywogan.shtml