A defence volunteer slain and a village assistant chief and a civilian wounded in Narathiwat and anti-government banners displayed and car tyres set on fire at 17 points in Yala and Pattani on Friday.
An anti-Thai banner hangs outside a roadside building in Yala on Feb 7, 2014. (Photo by Maluding Deeto)
In Narathiwat, a territorial defence volunteer was shot dead and an assistant village headman and a civilian wounded in a walk-in shooting in Yala’s Yaha district early Friday, police said.
The dead man was identified as Mapiyoh Yohnimae, 45, a defence volunteer of Ban Korroramae.
The injured, assistant village chief Waesama-air Jaru, 45, and civilian Marorsee Makeh, 48, were taken to Yaha hospital.
Pol Lt Thanasak Leelanuch, an investigator at Patae police station in Yaha, said the shooting occurred about 12.45am at house No 88/1 of the defence volunteer on Yaha-Bannang Sata road in tambon Patae.
The three men were sitting chatting in front of the house when two men arrived on a motorcycle. The killer, riding pillion, walked over to them pretending to join in the conversation, then took out a handgun and fired at them. The attackers then fled.
All three victims were rushed to Yaha hospital in critical condition. Mapiyoh, the defence volunteer, was pronounced dead on arrival.
In Yala, Pol Maj Gen Songkiat Wathakul, chief of Yala police, reported that banners written in Malayu attacking state authorities were hung on trees at 17 points, 3 in Muang Yala, 1 in Raman, 2 in Krong Penang, 4 in Chakua, 1 in Mae Wad and 6 in Bannang Sata areas, he said.
Several suspicious boxes were also placed in some of these areas, he added.
Explosive ordnance disposal and police forensic teams were sent to inspect the areas and collect evidences and finger prints for DNA tests, to see whether they match with any suspects of police information base. No explosive device was found in the placed suspicious boxes, he said.
Police providing protection for teachers were ambushed in Yala’s Kabang district on Friday morning, a report said.
The attack occurred about 8.15am on a local road at Ban Basatapae in tambon Kabang.
According to witnesses, five policemen returning from escorting teachers were travelling along the road when gunmen hiding in roadside forest fired at them with assault rifles. No police were hurt.
In Pattani, banners written in the Malayu language were hung on trees and flyover bridges and suspicious boxes were found at several points.
Pol Col Jutinand Tuantae, chief of Muang Pattani police station, said the signs stated “Siam merintah negeri sendri tak mampu apakah lagi untuk merintah bangsa malayu patani”, meaning the "Siam government" cannot govern its own country, how it can govern Malayu Pattani, were hung on roadside trees along the Pattani-Narathiwat road in tambons Bana, Taluboh and Slumilae.
Car tyres were set on fire in these areas and suspicious seeming boxes which could have contained explosives were also placed there, he said.
Police and bomb disposal units were sent to inspect the areas, but found no bomb, he added.
Police blamed separatist militants trying to incite unrest.
About 6,000 people have been killed in the southern violence since Jan 4, 2004 attacks which marked the onset of separatist unrest.
A total of 5,926 people have died as a result of the sectarian violence in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat as well as Chana, Thepha, Saba Yoi and Na Thawi districts of Songkhla from Jan 4, 2004 to Dec 31 last year, said theInternal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command. Of the dead, 3,461 were Muslims and 2,431 were Buddhists. Some 10,593 people have been injured.