YALA - A defence volunteer and two border policemen were slain and a third severely injured in two attacks in this southern border province on Monday morning.
The first attack was outside a grocery store on Highway 410 (Yala-Bannang Sata) in Bannang Sata district about 12.40am.
Gunmen opened fire at defence volunteer Theerawut Phuttharat, 34, when he left his car to enter the shop, about 300 metres from his security unit in Ban Tabing Tingngee in tambon Taling Chan.
He died on the spot and his car was set on fire.
In Than To district, a road bomb was detonated as an armoured truck carrying three border patrol policemen passed through Ban Tha Si Nam about 9.45am. The vehicle was blown off the road and left a wreck by the blast.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Isaret Intarapet, Pol Cpl Panuwat Wechapasan and Pol Cpl Monpitak Petnui were severely injured.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Isaret and Pol Cpl Monpitak later succumbed to their wounds.
The torched car belonging to slain defence volunteer Theerawut Phuttharat, in Bannang Sata district, Yala, on Monday morning. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)