Gunmen ambushed the vehicle of the Mayo district chief in Pattani yesterday in the first attack on a high-ranking official in the restive South this year.
Soldiers provide protection as rice farmers in Pattani resume a scheme to revive abandoned rice fields. The rice farmers were growing rice without their trainers after two instructors were shot dead last week. PAREZ LOHASANT
District chief Pisarn Ar-wae and three defence volunteers, who were on a pickup truck, survived the attack unhurt.
The shooting occurred about 5pm while the Mayo district chief's vehicle was travelling on the Mayo-Yarang Road from the district office to his residence in Muang Pattani district.
When they arrived at Ban Jabae, gunmen on a white Toyota pickup truck sprayed bullets at the district chief's bullet-proof vehicle.
The bullets struck the windscreen and the window on the driver's side, police said.
Student Daranee Ba-eh, 17, was slightly injured by a stray bullet in the attack.
Ms Daranee, a student at Kriamwitthaya School, was a pillion rider on a motorcycle following the attacker's pickup truck.
Police suspected at least four gunmen were on the truck, and shot at the car with M16 and AK rifles.
Meanwhile, farmers in Pattani's Yaring district resumed working in their rice field yesterday under tight security.
Soldiers, police, and defence volunteers stood guard over a paddy field in Ban Baroy where the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) is conducting rice-growing training so villagers can revive abandoned rice fields.
The training was suspended over the weekend after two Sing Buri farmer trainers were killed and 10 others injured in a gun attack in the district on Friday.
They were among 20 farmers from Suphan Buri and Sing Buri teaching farmers how to revive and improve rice yields in their abandoned fields.
Seven injured farmers were still in hospital yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung yesterday said he disagreed with sending volunteers to work in high-risk areas in the far South.
Mr Chalerm said authorities had warned officials involved in the farm-traning project about the risk of insurgent attacks on volunteer trainers.
In dangerous areas, border patrol police should be deployed as the teachers there are unarmed and are unable to defend themselves, the deputy prime minister said.
Mr Chalerm has asked to see former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia.
The government is waiting for confirmation from Mr Mahathir of the details.
SBPAC deputy secretary-general Piya Kijthavorn said his agency will take deep South farmers to undergo training in Suphan Buri instead to prevent further attacks.
The first group of farmers will leave for Suphan Buri on Feb 13.
Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday said security officials would investigate the farmer trainer killings thoroughly.
"Generosity prompted these people from the Central Plains to go to work in the South. They were following Her Majesty the Queen's command. Their attackers are inhuman," said Gen Prayuth. Police and the public will receive more training on defensive measures, Gen Prayuth said. Soldiers will start allocating patrol areas for police in the next two or three months.