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Published on August 25, 2007

Nong Boonsak, 50, the principal of Ban Sanor elementary school, was shot at the Rawaeng intersection by one of the four men using an 11mm handgun.

The victim jumped out of his pickup truck and tried to return fire with his handgun but failed to set off a round as he was finished off by a shotgun. The men set his body on fire in the middle of the intersection and torched his truck as well as two telephone booths in front of a mosque on a corner of the intersection.

The gangland-style attack, which took place at 3.40pm, was the latest assault in the restive region, where more than 2,300 people have been killed since January 2004. Separatists often attack teachers and public schools, accusing them of trying to force the Malay-Muslims into becoming "Thai" at the expense of their culture.

The incident was another setback for the PM's message of reconciliation, which is becoming increasingly unpopular among the public as militants respond with more brutal attacks.

Surayud visited Narathiwat's Waeng district to inspect the slow progress on construction of the second bridge over the Golok River to Malaysia before heading to a fishing village in Kalae Tapae, where he inaugurated a community development project.

Situated in Narathiwat municipality, Kalae Tapae is a congested coastal fishing community that has been trying for years to secure land deeds from the government.

Residents here say their plight and demands for necessities such as clean water had been long overlooked until two years ago, when they formed a community organisation that began to attract the attention of local politicians, as well as the premier.

"Today, local political groups are coming to the community to ask for political support. Sadly, nobody was around when they went around two years ago to ask for help for their community project," said Hama Mayunu, a local aid worker.

Meanwhile, in Pattani's Kapho district, militants ambushed four soldiers patrolling on motorbikes, wounding two of them.

In Narathiwat's Tak Bai district, a former village chief, Win Wangthong, 70, was shot dead in front of his home.

In Yala's Yaha district, combined forces continued with their daily raids on villages suspected of harbouring separatists.

They arrested Rohmali Jehloh, a key suspected militant long on the government's wanted list, and detained five other local villagers for questioning under the controversial Emergency Law.

The officials also confiscated some weapons, including an M-26 hand grenade, a shotgun and a machete from his house.

Nearly 300 "high risk" individuals are being held without formal charges in military camps and subjected to various courses and counselling, which are supposed to turn them into productive citizens.

Don Pathan

The Nation

Tambon Rawaeng, Pattani