A representative of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn yesterday visited a female border patrol officer-cum-teacher who was injured in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday.

Police Ninth Region Commander Lt-General Adul Saengsingkaew was assigned to deliver a get-well-soon basket to Lance Corporal Siriporn Sangkhaharat, a teacher at Nikhompitakrat School in Yala's Than To district.

Colonel Surapong Khemasingkhi of the Fourth Region Border Patrol Police said the Princess was a royal patron of the Border Patrol Police School and was very concerned for the safety of both students and teachers.

Siriporn said she was grateful for the Princess's thoughtfulness. After her recovery, she will continue to teach at the school, though she will be more cautious in her daily life, she added.

She was travelling with her 13-year-old son Saknarin from their home to the school when they were approached by a motorcyle and shot by a gunman on the pillion.

Saknarin took a bullet in the chest, while his mother was shot in the arm. Both were sent to Yala Hospital.

Police blamed insurgents for the attack. Previously, a teacher from the same school died after being stabbed in the throat.

Siriporn's right arm bone was shattered and it will take another month before she can go home, said hospital director Dr Wattana Wattanayakorn.

A bullet stuck in her son's lung but did not have any negative effect on his respiratory system, said Wattana. Doctors have yet to decide if they will operate to remove it, as it could be a very risky operation. The boy, however, said he would prefer to keep the bullet in his lung as a souvenir.

Separately, in Songkhla's Thepha district, Sampan Thongdaeng, 43, was critically injured in a drive-by shooting. Sampan, a head officer at a public health office, was driving his car when two gunmen on a motorbike approached and opened fire with several rounds.

Although three bullets went into his neck, shoulder and arms, Sampan managed to fire back before his attackers sped away. Sampan then drove his car to a hospital before falling unconscious.

Police said the motive for the attack could be personal conflict or the insurgency.

The Nation

Yala