NARATHIWAT: A young man driving a motorcycle was shot dead and the pillion rider seriously wounded when they were attacked by three men on a motorcycle on Monday night, police said.
The dead man was identified as Pandee Salaeh, 23, and the wounded victim as Amiruddeen Hanagamae, 18, both residents of tambon Riang in Rueso district of Narathiwat, said Pol Lt Wetchayan Hiranyasuwan, deputy chief of investigation at Rueso district police station.
The attack was reported to police about 8.50pm. When officers arrived at the scene, on the Tha Ruea-Kotabaru Road in Ban Tuelo, they found Pandee dead on the side of the road with a gunshot wound to his chest, he said. A motorcycle registered in Narathiwat was lying next to him.
Two spent 9mm shell casings were found nearby and collected as evidence, and the body sent to Rueso hospital for forensic examination, he said.
Villagers at the scene told police the pillion rider was shot in the back but alive, and had been rushed to a nearby hospital.
The two were on their way to buy groceries at a shop in the village when three men came up behind them on a motorcycle. One of the three drew a gun and shot twice at the two victims as they drove past them, and they then fled, witnesses said.
Investigators were focusing on a conflict between the two victims and men they had a fist fight with outside a convenience store in Rueso municipality a couple of days ago, Pol Lt Wetchayan said
They were believed to be behind the deadly attack, he said.