Narathiwat Officer Shot Outside Home in Second Ambush

Picture courtesy of Matichon 

A police officer in Narathiwat province is in a coma after being shot in the chest during an ambush outside his home on 17 December, marking the second attempt on his life. The victim, identified as Pol Snr Sgt Maj Asri, 39, suffered a gunshot wound that entered the left side of his chest and exited through his back, leaving him critically injured. He was initially treated at Janae Hospital before being airlifted for specialist care.

The shooting occurred at about 10.00 when Pol Lt Col Chaonlert Chuphon, an investigator at Janae Police Station, was notified by hospital staff that a gunshot victim had been admitted. Pol Col Weerasak Phersaela, superintendent of Janae Police Station, led officers to the scene at the officer’s residence in Janae district. Investigators found a black shoulder bag on the road outside the gate and three spent M16 cartridge cases nearby.

Inside the property, bloodstains were discovered on the wall of the carport, while footprints and trampled vegetation were found in a wooded area to the right of the gate, indicating the suspect’s escape route. Police believe the assailant lay in wait among banana trees beside the entrance. The attacker fired an M16 rifle as the officer was pushing a red Honda Wave motorcycle out of the garage to go and tend a garden.

After the first shot felled him, the officer’s wife heard the gunfire and shouted for him to take cover inside the compound. The gunman then advanced, using the wall as cover and fired two further shots that missed. The wounded officer crawled to shelter beside the carport wall as the attacker fled the scene.

Given the severity of his injuries, Narathiwat Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Prayong Kotsasakha requested a Royal Thai Police helicopter to transfer the officer to Songklanagarind Hospital. A medical team from Yala Sirirattanarak Hospital accompanied the transfer and continues to monitor his condition closely.

Matichon reported that Ppolice confirmed that Pol Snr Sgt Maj Asri had previously survived an ambush on 22 July, while riding a motorcycle to duty on a hillside road near Ban Yaro in Janae district. On that occasion, he returned fire, was wounded and managed to escape. Investigators believe the same group may be responsible for both attacks and a manhunt is under way.

Key Takeaways

• A Narathiwat traffic police officer was critically injured in a targeted shooting outside his home on 17 December.

• Evidence at the scene included three M16 cartridge cases and signs of a planned ambush.

• Police suspect the same group behind a previous attack on the officer in July.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon.2025-12-18