Violence continues in Songkhla and Narathiwat
Narathiwat - Violence continued in two southern provinces on Monday, as suspected Muslim militants killed a rubber tapper, wounded a motorcyclist, set fire to a mobilephone signal station and a roadside pavilion, and ambushed security officials.
Rubber tapper Sathean Kuakohboon, 33, was shot dead by an unknown number of gunmen on a rubber farm in Saba Yoi district of Songkhla yesterday. In Thepha district of the same province, Noppachai Kaewrung, 27, was critically injured while riding a motorbike home with friend Jeerasak Kaewchum. Two gunmen approached the bike from behind and shot five rounds at the pair. Only one bullet hit Noppachai and he was sent to a local hospital. Police suspected Muslim insurgents were behind both attacks but did not rule out personal conflict as a motive. In Narathiwat's Muang district, suspected militants placed a twokilogram landmine in front of an Orange mobilephone signal station before setting the station ablaze yesterday morning to lure officials into the area, police said. The head of the bombdisposal unit, Sergeant Chalong Boonlert, rushed to the area and stepped on the landmine. Fortunately the bomb malfunctioned and only slightly injured Chalong's right leg, said police. In the same district, suspected insurgents set fire to a pavilion on ManangtayoThunko Road, but villagers were able to put out the fire. No one was injured. Suspected insurgents also placed road spikes and cut down trees to block traffic and hamper police backup, said Muang police superintendent Captain Nukul Kraithong. He said more than 10 militants must have be involved in the series of attacks, which had been planned to create violent diversions to draw officials into the area. In Rangae district, an unknown number of suspected militants ambushed 10 Border Patrol Police stationed at Pa Phai railway station with AK47 and M16 assault rifles. A heavy firefight lasted more than 10 minutes before the attackers withdrew. No one was injured. Meanwhile, Pattani Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Korkiat Wongworachatra yesterday said police has detained a suspect who believed to be involved in an attack at a local government office in Pattani's MaYor district last week for further interrogation. However, he did not reveal any details about the suspect. Four heavily armed men on motorcycles opened fire on the Kradoe tambon office on March 16 in a broad daylight. Six people were killed, including assistant tambon chief Anurat Isarapongpan. Two other people injured. More than 1,100 people have lost their lives since the violence reemerged in the three southernmost provinces in January 2004. The Nation
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