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Published on September 2, 2007

A sophomore student at Prince of Songkhla University's Yala campus was yesterday shot dead at point-blank range as he was riding on a motorcycle.

Piyapong Phetngern, 22, a student at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, suffered a bullet wound to the back of his head. He died at the scene.

One of his friends told police that Piyapong and three other friends, including him, were riding on two motorcycles on a road from Pattani to Yala.

Riding on a motorcycle, two suspected militants approached them and shot Piyapong before escaping.

The victim was an active student both inside and outside class. His friends were surprised that the suspected militants had targeted him.

Meanwhile in Pattani, police have arrested four men for allegedly producing a sedative drug from kratom leaves for sale to teenagers.

The four were apprehended on Friday during a raid at a house in Khok Pho district when police confiscated two kilograms of kratom leaves and other materials, as well as dried marijuana.

Police believe the house was a major base for producing and selling the drug to teenagers in the deep South. Youths often drink the sedative before creating violence in the region.

Meanwhile, a royal funeral was held yesterday for Kesinee Timthep, 42, a teacher in Pattani's Sai Buri district, who was gunned down on her way to her school on Monday.

Deputy Interior Minister Police Maj-General Theerawut Butrsriphum presided over the funeral.

Kesinee was shot in the head by one of two men on a motorbike. She collapsed in front of several students walking with her. She was admitted to a district hospital but doctors could not save her.

Kesinee had taught at the school for nearly 20 years and received many awards. Her funeral was attended by colleagues, government servants and hundreds of villagers.

In continuing violence, a soldier was shot dead yesterday during an ambush of an army unit in Sai Buri district.

The body of Private Chaowanit Chantasin, 23, was found after a 10-minute exchange of gunfire between soldiers and militants.

An initial investigation showed that militants opened fire at the army unit and fire was returned by a joint force of police and soldiers. The militants managed to escape.

In Yala, police revealed yesterday that a man who was killed in a raid on Friday was a major suspect in the bombings of 22 banks on August 31 last year.

Suhaimee Satae, 27, was the subject of several arrest warrants for involvement in the bombings. Police claimed Suhaimee planted an explosive at Kasikornbank's Yala branch last year. The blast killed one person and injured many others.