Two border patrol policemen were killed and three other officers were seriously injured in a drive-by attack in Pattani yesterday.
In a separate attack in the deep South yesterday, a para-military ranger and a civilian were wounded in a bomb explosion in Narathiwat.The drive-by shooting In Pattani's Sai Buri district occurred at 7.10am as the five policemen were travelling in a pickup truck in tambon Paseyawor to buy food supplies.
Police said that at least eight suspected insurgents using a motorcycle and a pickup truck chased the police truck and opened fire on them.
Senior Sgt-Major Pongsak Srisarin, 53, and Senior Sgt-Major Nipon Neungkhota, 50, died instantly from gunshots to the head and torso.
Investigating police collected 28 spent AKA bullets, three spent M16 bullets and three spent 9mm bullets at the scene.
It was also reported that two insurgents used a motorcycle with a fake bomb to block the entrance to the nearby Thampawas Temple, which is used as a border police outpost, to prevent a quick response to the attack.
In Narathiwat's Cho Ai-rong district, suspected insurgents detonated a 5kg roadside bomb in Ban Aipayae at about 9.30am that targeted a paramilitary ranger squad which was on a community relations mission.
Motorcycle-riding ranger Songsak Phumphet, 27, and villager Yeh Sulong, 36, were injured and taken to Cho Ai-rong Hospital.
Lieutenant Prapit Kaewkhai, chief of Ranger Company 4808, said he and 11 rangers were travelling in a pickup truck and on two motorcycles to a school when the bomb went off.
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