• 
• 

Published on January 23, 2008

Gunmen hiding in a mosque opened fired as they rode past in a pickup truck at about 10am.

Sergeant Chumphon Boonyoung died, while Command Sergeant Major Sombat Kayasit and Command Sergeant Major Thamma Artwichai were wounded.

Attacks on the military have occurred almost everyday since violence erupted at the beginning of 2004. More than 2,800 people have been murdered over the past four years.

In another incident in Pattani, a Tambon Administration chief was injured in a gun attack at about 9.30am while driving his car on the Pattani-Narathiwat road in Yarang district. Uma Malee, 55 was hit three times and later taken to a district hospital.

Early yesterday, a security volunteer shot a young man dead after he drove his motorbike through a checkpoint in Yala's Betong district.

Yongsak Dahatoh, 23, and two colleagues, drove a motorbike through the checkpoint despite being told to stop by a group of volunteer guards. One of the guards threw a flashlight at the men, who then threw stones at the guards before driving away.

A group of security guards later followed Yongsak to his house. They ordered him to come, then shot him dead at about 2am.

Police have not identified the gunman but Police Lieutenant Colonel Montree Mepeta, chief of Betong district, said the authorities would bring justice to all concerned parties.

Some 150 people gathered later at the police station to demand the killer be brought to justice.

The Nation