Spate of killings sours VIP tour to the far South

Five people died in separate gun attacks and eight soldiers were injured in an ambush while Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was visiting the South yesterday to inspect security operations before the government leaves office.

Akadej Juruyere, a janitor at Ban Bangopulo School in Narathiwat's Rusoh district, was killed when a gunman came out of a teashop and fired at him as he walked with his wife along a road in the village.

Eyewitnesses said the gunman grabbed Akadej's hair and fired a revolver into his head.

In the second gun attack, Adulloh Tohadum was killed at about 8.30am while riding a motorbike on a road between Pattani and Yala. An eyewitness said one of two men on another motorbike fired six rounds into him before escaping.

Police believe the attack was part of the insurgent violence that has been ongoing in the predominantly Muslim region since the beginning of 2004 and has killed some 2,800 people. Adulloh was targeted because he was an informant for the military, police said.

At around the same time in Bannang Sata's Ban Burapeh district in neighbouring Yala province, Muhammadsukree Kachalakee was killed after being hit by several bullets.

Another incident took place in the afternoon as two municipal workers in Pattani were shot dead while operating a night-soil truck for a resident in Thung Yang Daeng district. Two men on a motorbike attacked Bounchok and Orawan Dokteoy in a drive-by shooting.

Eight soldiers were injured in an ambush in Narathiwat's Rusoh district. The soldiers were on patrol to provide security for the railway. The ambush began when a bomb was set off, followed by gunfire from militants hiding in the jungle. A gun battle lasted for five minutes before the insurgents retreated.

The violence across the region took place as Prime Minister Surayud began his tour to inspect ground operations designed to contain the insurgency.

The prime minister was accompanied by Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas, Army commander Anupong Paochinda and Police chief Seripisut Temiyawes. They inspected road construction on a route between Yala and Pattani.

The road had been abandoned for a long time due to the situation in the region, he said, adding that infrastructure development was part of the strategy to contain violence.

"I hope the new government will follow the advice of His Majesty the King to understand, reach out and develop the region," he said.

"If we care about the people, they will be with us and help us. That is the key to success in ending the violence," Surayud told reporters.

The Nation