Wider World by CS

Southern forces honoured

• Published: 1/01/2013 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

The names of police officers and soldiers who have died in the violence in the deep South have been inscribed on the National Memorial in Don Muang for the first time.

The names of soldiers, police and defence volunteers killed in the far South insurgency are listed on the National Memorial in Don Muang district. WASSANA NANUAM

The exact number of inscribed names belonging to those who died in the far South has not been revealed as the public might become worried about the number of fatalities resulting from the conflict, said Maj Gen Narane Siriphuban, deputy chief of the National Defence College.
However, he said the names of hundreds of security forces personnel who died as a result of the southern unrest between 2004 and 2009 have been inscribed on the National Memorial, bringing the total number of those honoured on the monument to 7,654.
Previously, the National Memorial, only had names of soldiers who lost their lives during World War I, the Thailand-France Indochina Conflict, the Greater East Asia War (Asia-Pacific War), the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
"The armed forces realise that soldiers and police officers who lost their lives in the South must be shown the respect they are due," Maj Gen Narane said. "They fought to protect the land and attempted to bring peace to the country."
An additional 380 names of officers killed in 2010 have been proposed for inscription, he said. More spaces on the memorial will be arranged for them.
Maj Gen Narane said Supreme Commander Thanasak Patimaprakorn had instructed the armed forces to renovate the National Memorial ahead of Royal Thai Armed Forces Day on Jan 18.
Gen Thanasak also urged Thais to visit the memorial to pay respect to the officers who lost their lives to protect the country. The memorial was inaugurated by Their Majesties the King and Queen in 1988.

The National Memorial is just north of Don Mueang airport, and is open to the public.