NARATHIWAT - Three policemen were killed and six others wounded, four seriously, in an ambush by militant rebels in Rangae district on Tuesday afternoon.
The attack occurred on a main road at Moh Sawa village in tambon Bo-ngo. The nine-man patrol was travelling in a white pick up truck on the way to Chanae police station, said Pol Lt Apichart Dolor, deputy investigation chief at Rangae police station.
The ambush was reported around 1pm on Tuesday.
Hidden attackers fired M79 grenades at the vehicle from the roadside. The vehicle veered out of control and hit a roadside tree, Thai media reported
The insurgents then emerged from hiding and sprayed bullets from assault weapons at the vehicle, killing three policemen and wounding six others.
Police, soldiers and bomb disposal officers who were rushed to the scene found the crashed police pickup truck riddled with bullet holes still against the tree.
The three slain men were found inside the vehicle. They had multiple gunshot wounds. They were Pol Capt Ekkachai Niseng, a duty investigation chief at Chanae police station; Pol Sgt Maj Anuwat Korapalong, and Pol L/C Ratchakrit Arwae, both from the same station.
The six wounded officers had been rushed to a nearby hospital before the reinforcements arrived. The injured were identified as Pol Maj Withee Chuaysen, investigation chief at Chanae police station, his deputies Pol Lt Amnart Luangsanit and Pol Lt Suchart Ananprasert, Pol Cpl Theerayut Luanthong, Pol Cpl Arunrat Sombatyanuchit and Pol L/C Id-dris Da-oh.
Four of the injured, Pol Maj Withee, Pol Lt Amnart, Pol Cpl Arunrat and Pol Cpl Theerayuth sustained serious wounds.
Police said Pol Maj Withee was leading the patrol to join other police teams in hunting down armed insurgents who raided Cho Airong Hospital on March 13 when they were ambushed.