HRH Crown Prince vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Srirasmi visit officials and victims of the ongoing violence in the deep South at Pattani Hospital. Today Their Royal Highnesses will visit Wat Nirotsangkharam in Yala, where more than 200 villagers are see

Violence continued to rock the South yesterday as two men were killed and four others critically injured in separate attacks, while monks from 78 temples in Narathiwat province stopped their daily routine of collecting alms until further notice, fearing for their safety.

The spate of attacks prompted a number of villagers to flee their homes in Yala's Bannang Sata and Than To districts to Wat Nirotsangkharam in Muang district.

At around noon in Rusoh district of Narathiwat, Thongpetch Chatchamni, 52, was found dead and his wife, Pimpa Noobankoh, 46, was critically injured. Police said Thongpetch was shot with three rounds to the body from an 11mm pistol and died at the scene.

The couple, who made their living by finding wild vegetation to sell in a local market, were riding a motorbike on their way home when two gunmen riding on a motorbike opened fire on Pimpa, toppling the bike. The culprits then shot Thongpetch at point-blank range before fleeing, police said.

In a separate incident, two villagers were critically injured in a drive-by shooting in Yala's Bannang Sata district. Faisol Nisor, 22, was shot in the hip and Theerapol Sungthong, 23, in the body.

Early yesterday morning in the same district, four gunmen attacked a roadside teashop in a drive-by shooting that left one dead and one injured. Police found 33 M-16 assault-rifle bullet casings at the scene.

Mahama Tohlooboh, 23, was seriously wounded in the attack and remained in intensive care while his brother Sofi Tohlooboh, 30, died when a bullet entered his left eye.

Police said the two were sitting at the shop watching television when it was attacked. They said Muslim insurgents were behind all the attacks.

Meanwhile, the number of villagers from Bannang Sata and Than To districts seeking refuge at Wat Nirotsangkharam has risen to 206. These villagers say they are afraid for their safety and do not wish to return to their homes.

The halting of monks' daily alms collection from villagers in Narathiwat began today after the province's abbots agreed at a meeting that security for both the monks and their security escorts was insufficient. Buddhists can still do their good deeds by coming to the temples, provincial monastic chief Prathepsilwisut said.

The recent wave of violence, including the bombings of eight car and motorbike showrooms in Yala and the killings of schoolteachers since the beginning of the new semester in November has bred fear among teachers.

Nopporn Maskhongkaew, caretaker chairman of Yala Education Zone 2, yesterday said some schools would reopen today after a week-long closure due to concerns for the security of both teachers and students after an attack on schools and schoolteachers last week.

Sanya Suwannapho, chairman of Yala's Teachers Federation, said more than 30 teachers in Bannang Sata and Than To districts had applied for relocation out of fear for their safety.

Safety fears have crippled Thailand's southernmost region over the past two years. More than 1,700 people have lost their lives since violence re-emerged in the area in January 2004. The latest attacks came despite the recent apology of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont for the previous government's mistakes in the region.

The Nation

Narathiwat