YALA: A volunteer ranger was killed at his house in a gun attack in Yaha district on Saturday night, police said.
Pol Capt Piyapat Duangtut, a Muang police investigator, led a team of officers to a rented house in Ban Tanyong Lulo after being informed of the incident which occurred at about 7.55pm.
On arriving at the scene, the police found the body of Paisal Yalae, 27, a volunteer ranger attached to 27th Ranger Task Force, behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi Triton pick-up. He had been hit six times in the head and body with shots from a 9mm gun.
His wife told police that Paisal was shot by a waiting gunman, who fired about 10 shots at him through the window as soon as he arrived in the pick-up. The gunman then opened the door of the vehicle and fired two more shots at Paisal's head. The police recovered 12 spent shells of 9mm ammunition from beside the pick-up truck.
Eyewitnesses said that shortly before the attack, six men arrived on three motorcycles. One of them, the gunman, waited in the driveway of the house while five others hid in separate places outside the house. The gunman opened fire when Paisal arrived in his pick-up truck.
After the attack, the men stole an HK rifle and Paisal's bulletproof vest from the vehicle before fleeing on the motorcycle.
The police said about two years ago, Paisal's father and mother were shot dead while tapping rubber near their village. Shortly after that incident, an elder brother of Paisal was also shot dead.
Police were investigating to establish the motive for the attack.