NARATHIWAT - A family of four, including an 8-year-old boy, was shot dead on their way to a school in Rueso district, Narathiwat, on Thursday morning.
They were ambushed on a local road in Ban Dhamma Charoen village of tambon Tok Sator about 7.40am. Somchai Thongjan, 47-year-old assistant head of Ban Sri Pinyo village, was driving his pickup truck and taking his two children to school when gunmen attacked them.
Somchai, his 39-year-old wife Rasika Daduang, his 42-year-old sister-in-law Son Thongjan, and his 8-year-old son Thanakrit Thongjan were killed.
The elder child, Sirapassorn Thongjan, 12, was severely wounded and rushed to a local hospital. A six-year-old niece, Yanisa Srisuwan, had scratches in her thighs, neck and arms.
Officials found more than 20 spent cartridges of assault rifles and a pistol at the scene.