Three military officers were seriously injured in a clash with insurgents triggered by an attempted apprehension in the southern border province of Pattani early Saturday.
A ranger patrol, working with a 50-man special task force, was acting on intelligence that a group of insurgents were operating in Khlong Chang village in Khok Pho district at 4am.
The force detected two to three suspected separatists with weaponry hiding in the area.
After being surrounded in a thick forest, the insurgents opened fire on security personnel at about 7am. A firefight ensued during which several explosions were heard by witnesses.
The 15-minute clash resulted in injuries to three members of the force. Sgt Maj Thanasak Buaka of the Fourth Region Volunteer Defence Force sustained severe injuries to both legs with shrapnel embedded in his arms and legs. Second Lt Tawachai, whose surname was not given, was critically injured by gunfire. A volunteer identified as Nattaphol was hit by shrapnel and experienced difficulty breathing.
Following the shootout, the military established a 500-metre perimeter and requested helicopter assistance to locate the gunmen.
The insurgents have yet to be found. Officials have expressed concerns that the group may have called for support.
The insurgents are suspected of carrying out bombings and shootings of military personnel earlier in July. The group is believed to include key leaders of the movement in the Pattani and Songkhla border areas.
The latest incident comes just days after a roadside bomb injured six policemen in Nong Chik district of Pattani on Monday night.