A tense stand-off between Muslim and Buddhist protesters outside a police station in the predominantly Buddhist district of Khok Pho ended peacefully yesterday following the intervention of the chairman of the Pattani Islamic Committee.

The Muslim protesters were demanding the release of three men detained for alleged links to separatist violence, while the Buddhists insisted the men be kept in jail.

Both groups remained peaceful as about 150 security officers, including female Rangers and police, were at the scene to maintain order.

The protest began at about 9am when some 100 Muslims - mostly women and children - gathered in front of Na Pradu Police Station to demand the release of Sufyan Jehteh, Ali Doloh and Hamdan Hajibula.

The protesters blocked a road linking Pattani and Yala.

Later, about 100 Buddhist residents of the district gathered to confront the protesters. They carried banners saying "the law applies to all Thais" and "those who break the law must be punished".

The stand-off lasted for three hours. It ended after Pattani Islamic Committee chairman Waeduramae Mamingji arrived.

Waeduramae encouraged the Muslim group to disperse, saying the three suspects had been detained for questioning only. He assured the protesters that the men were unharmed and being well treated.

The protesters then dispersed.

Relatives of the detained men were subsequently allowed to visit them at a military camp in Nong Chik district.

During the visit about 200 Muslim protesters gathered outside the camp.

The group comprised mainly women and children who had covered their faces with black headscarves.

They demanded the release of the three men.

The protest ended when the relatives of the detained men emerged from the camp and said they would let the legal process run its course.

Pattani Governor Panu Uthairat said most of the protestors had no links to the detained men and had been brought in from outside the district. He said the protests had been organised by militants.

Militants are increasingly using women and children in protests, officials say.

Meanwhile, three people were killed in Narathiwat and Yala.

An elderly rubber work was shot dead at about 6.30am in Narathiwat's Si Sakhon district. Serm Mukmeekul, 60, was killed while cycling to work.

Around the same time the bodies of a brother and sister were found on the side of a road in Yala's Bannang Sata district

Chom Yotsakul, 45, and his 48-year-old sister Udom Ratchakeow had been shot dead.

About 2,000 people have died in the southern border provinces in separatist-linked violence over the past three years.

The Nation

Pattani