Six Killed By Bomb Blasts In The South Of Thailand

[Lite Beer]

Six killed by bomb blasts in restive southern provinces

By The Nation on Sunday.

Trio about to play in football match; three rangers killed in second blast

A bomb attack at a football field in Pattani's Kapor district killed three police and injured 14 others yesterday afternoon, while a separate blast in Yala's Raman district killed three paramilitary soldiers and injured two others, police said.

A three-kilogram bomb was detonated by a cell-phone at 4pm near a football field in Tambon Plong Hoi in Pattani's Kapor district, instantly killing three policemen who were about to play in a friendly football match among Thai police and army personnel. 14 others were injured.

The deceased were Pol Sergeant Haris Wangravee, Pol Sergeant Narongrit Suwansri and Pol Sergeant Samart Tohsantha. This bomb, suspected to have been planted by insurgents, prompted police to set up more checkpoints to prevent more violence as Pattani town is currently hosting a Red Cross fair.

About half an hour earlier in neighbouring Yala, another roadside bomb went off and hit a passing caravan of an armoured pickup and two motorcycles, patrolling the local road between Ban Jampoon and Ban Joleemus in Tambon Tha Thong.

Three paramilitary soldiers on the truck - later identified as Second Lieutenant Ubon Noo-eard, Sergeant Major 1st Class Phol Wan-ong and Private Anuwat Phetchram - died on the way to hospital. Police collected bomb fragments at the scene. They suspected insurgents carried out the attack.

In Narathiwat, a former president of Tambon Ra Ngae Administrative Organisation, Adul-asi Seumae, 45, was fatally shot six times by four assailants on two motorbikes while driving his car on Phetchakasem Highway (Pattani-Narathiwat). Police blamed separatists.

Meanwhile, a volunteer ranger and two other men were arrested for firing guns at other vehicles on Talohalor-Yi-ngor Road in Yala's Betong district, police said yesterday.

Charoenchai Pornpisutnorakul filed a complaint at 6.30am yesterday that gunmen on an Isuzu pickup shot at his Toyota pickup, although he escaped without injury. Later, police manning a checkpoint in front of the Jakwa Police Station in Raman district arrested the suspects in an Isuzu and seized an M16 rifle, two pistols and ammunition.

The suspects were former volunteer ranger Muhammadsauti Beuraheng, 26, Nisannusi Samuyama, 30, and Panasak Khongsrirod, 26, the latter of whom was also wanted for attempted murder and illegal possession of gun in 2010.

Police were investigating if the weapons were used in any violent incidents. They also found that the pickup had a fake licence plate.

In related news, a royal-sponsored funeral was held yesterday afternoon for volunteer ranger Weerasak Hiranpratheep at the Nakhon Yala Municipality Crematorium. Weerasak was one of the two paramilitary soldiers killed while nine others were injured in the April 30 car bomb in Raman district.

-- The Nation 2011-05-08