Teacher, police helper shot dead

First victim worked at Islamic schools

By Post reporters

A school teacher was shot dead yesterday by a pillion rider in Songkhla's Chana district, police said.

Nopparit Inthasiri, 50, was found dead in front of Chana Wittaya school in tambon Sakom. Next to the victim's body was his motorcycle.

According to witnesses, Nopparit was making a U-turn in front of the school when a black motorcycle approached him and the pillion rider shothim.

The gunman repeatedly shot Nopparit after he lost control of the motorcycle and fell on to the road, said witnesses.

The assailants used a Honda Wave black motorcycle and fled towards Pattani's Nong Chik district.

Nopparit, a native of Pattani, taught at Chana Wittaya school for more than four years. He also worked as a part-time chemistry teacher at four private Islamic schools in the district.

Nopparit was on his way to Rungroj Wittaya, one of the four private Islamic schools, when he was shot.

Meanwhile, in Narathiwat, the father of an assistant village headman was shot dead in his rubber plantation in Rangae district on Friday in what is believed to be revenge for his son's cooperation with the state to suppress bandits in this southern province.

The body of Kaew Sengsidaeng, 68, was found along with three spent 9mm shells in a hut in his rubber plantation in Baan Ok, Rangae district's tambon Tanyong Limor.

Police said Kaew usually spent his leisure time in the hut with his 32-year-old son Wathin Sengsidaeng, an assistant village headman for peacekeeping, who went for shooting training at Chulabhorn Camp on Friday and left a .38mm pistol behind. Motorcycle tracks were found near the hut, which police believe belonged to the killers. The man had been threatened because of his son's work in helping police. Police believe the killers will soon try to get rid of Mr Wathin as well, and have put him under protection.

Meanwhile, an intelligence source said 100 blacklisted militants had gone into hiding in the areas bordering Satun and Phatthalung.

Some were sighted in tambon Tamod in Phatthalung's Kong Ra district. According to the source, the militants used the areas as temporary hideouts and did not make any trouble in the two provinces.