Published on January 31, 2005

A former defence volunteer was shot and killed in Narathiwat while two community police volunteers were shot and injured in Pattani allegedly as part of an ongoing terror campaign by Muslim separatists in the three southern border provinces, police said.

Sub-Lieutenant Chairit Inkham of Rangae district police station in Narathiwat said Thawatchai Meesu, 56, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle on a road in the district at 6.30am. Chairit said Thawatchai, who was shot four times (once in the neck and three times in the torso), died instantly.

His wife, Aesoh Meesu, 38, said Thawatchai had just taken her to a rubber plantation and was riding to the village market when he was attacked. Aesoh said Thawatchai’s son, Haseng Meesu, who is a defence volunteer, was shot and severely injured late last year.

In Pattani, two volunteers who worked as auxiliaries to police in Tambon Klongmai of Pattani’s Yarang district were attacked by two gunmen on a motorcycle at 10.40am.

Lt Sompop Luangwong of the Yarang district police station said Mahama Sadiyamu, 29, was shot once in the left wrist and Abdulloh Yusoh, 38, was shot in the abdomen and left leg. Both men were rushed to the Yarang district hospital.

Meanwhile, a security source in Narathiwat said intelligence agencies had learnt that a group of insurgents had smuggled two home-made bombs into Muang district.

The source said the agencies had received tip-offs that the terrorists planned to activate the bombs by remote control using a mobile phone on election day, targeting security officials guarding polling stations in the province.

The Nation

Narathiwat, Pattani

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