Two die in Narathiwat drive-by shooting

SOUTHERN VIOLENCE

Two die in Narathiwat drive-by shooting

WAEDAO HARAI & ASSAWIN PAKKAWAN

NARATHIWAT : A family of four was attacked in a drive-by shooting in Rangae district yesterday morning, killing the father and daughter, and seriously wounding the mother and son, police said.

The attack took place on the Rueso-Narathiwat road.

The family was riding a pickup truck and was on its way to buy fruit from an orchard in the district when unidentified gunmen in another pick-up opened fire on them, sending the victims' vehicle out of control before slamming into a roadside electricity pole and overturning.

Iiad Kaewmek, 35, was found dead along with his daughter Ampornsiri, 9, who was found in his arms.

His wife Sunee, 51, and his son Prarinya, 6, were in critical condition.

Also in Rangae district, two volunteer rangers were slightly wounded in a bomb attack yesterday afternoon.

They were identified as Chalon Perm-udom, 38, and Wannao Chantarak, 48.

Police said the blast occurred at a deserted roadside stall where the two were resting in the shade after a routine patrol.

Meanwhile, media members from Islamic countries have arrived to observe the situation in the South, said Aziz Benhawan, who chairs the peace-building advisory council under the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC).

The visiting media personnel were from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia , Senegal, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Mr Aziz said in the past the Muslim world was under the impression that the southern problems were mainly caused by religious conflicts.

After receiving first-hand information, they now understand that racial differences, not religious conflicts, were the source of most problems. ''Religion was only being used as a pretext by perpetrators to perpetuate the violence.''

Wednesday August 13, 2008
Bangkok Post
General News