December 1, 2004

Marines shot at while on temple guard duty

School teacher killed, 4 hurt in other attacks

POST REPORTERS

An unknown number of assailants last night opened fire at a marine unit protecting Buddhist monks at a temple near Bacho district police station in Narathiwat.

Only a few rounds from small firearms were discharged and there were no casualties reported among the 12 marines guarding Wat Urairattanaram.

Earlier yesterday, a private Islamic school teacher was shot dead and four others seriously wounded in separate gun attacks in Pattani and Yala provinces.

The body of Ardeunan Salaemang, 25, a teacher at Thammawitthaya Foundation School in Yala, was found along with four spent AK shells in his pick-up truck.

He was attacked by two men on a motorcycle while driving from his home in Pattani's Mayor district to the school at 9.45am and shot in the neck and head.

Police believed the killing could have been related to southern unrest as several teachers and students at Ardeunan's school are suspected of involvement in violence in the region.

Yesterday morning, Prasert Phao-in, 53, a defence volunteer and Armeh Hayeelateh, a villager, were injured in a gun attack in Pattani's Muang district.

Mr Prasert was drinking coffee at a tea shop at Yarang intersection in tambon Jabangtikor when two teenagers on a motorcycle entered and one opened fire.

The defence volunteer returned fire but the attackers managed to flee. Mr Prasert was hit in his left arm and three stray bullets also hit a villager in the chest, chin and shoulder. All were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

In Pattani's Muang district, a member of a local administrative organisation was wounded in an attack by two men.

Natthapol Chaiyakit was shot at 4.30pm by two men on a motorcycle as he was returning from work in tambon Barahom, Muang district. The pillion rider shot at his pick-up, hitting him in the right hand.

In Yala province, a former defence volunteer was seriously injured in a gun attack by two men on a motorcycle.

Abdulkordey Yeepaloh, 56, was shot while standing in front of a weekend market in tambon Yateh in Raman district about 2pm. He was hit in the chest.

Early yesterday morning, about 250 rubber trees in Raman district were destroyed by an unknown number of men.

All the rubber trees on a three-rai plot owned by Pol Snr Sgt-Maj Somkhid Thapthimsri of Raman police station were destroyed. Damage was estimated at about 50,000 baht. Sources said many rubber plantations and fruit orchards in Yala had been destroyed this month by unknown attackers using axes and machetes.