NARATHIWAT: Two defence volunteers have been killed in an ambush in Sungai Padi district in this southern province.
District police were reported of the attack on Ban Toh Deng Rd in tambon Toh Deng at 4.30pm on Tuesday.
When a joint team of police, soldiers and administrative officials reached the scene, they found two bodies and a fire-damaged motorcycle with no licence plates on the ground.
After a bomb disposal team cleared the scene, they found the bodies next to the motorcycle belonged to Muhammad Hafazi, who was hit in the head, and Jehyunai Jehbueraheng, who sustained multiple wounds to the torso. They were sent to Sungai Padi Hospital for autopsies.
Almost 10 M16 shells found at the scene were taken in evidence.
An initial investigation found the two volunteers left the operation centre of Tambon Toh Deng Protection Unit to provide security services at Ban Phlong School in the same tambon.
When the school closed, they rode back. About 1km to the unit, at least two armed perpetrators who hid in dense forests along the road fired M16 and killed the pair. They then torched the motorcycle and took two AK-47 rifles, a 9mm pistol and two bullet vests from the victims.