Man steps on bomb

Wichit Duangtem, 42, from Tanto village in Tanto district, lost his left leg and suffered severe injuries to his body from the bomb, which exploded when he went to harvest latex from a rubber tree.

The man was rushed to Yala Hospital. Police suspect insur-gents planted the bomb.

In related news, 147 villagers in Ubae village in Bajo district met police and soldiers in Bannang Sata last Friday to deny supporting insurgents. They included religious and local leaders, plus residents.

The village was suspected to be a base for insurgents to attack people in the far South. Leaders were thus summoned to meet authorities to proclaim their innocence. They were asked to set punishments and rules to stop villagers support-ing insurgents.