Thai Special Task Force Soldiers Killed in Insurgent Ambush

Four Thai soldiers were shot dead today in a brazen daylight attack carried out by suspected Muslim insurgents in Thailand’s violence-prone south. Two other soldiers were wounded.

Video footage of the attack in Pattani province was captured by surveillance cameras that authorities have installed throughout Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, where an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2004 has claimed more than 5,000 lives.

The footage shows pick-up trucks tailing a pair of motorbikes that soldiers were riding as they returned from a military patrol to their base.

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Six soldiers of the No. 1532 special task force were patrolling on three motorcycles on the Mayo-Palas road in Ban Duwa of tambon Thanom when gunmen opened fire on them with war weapons.

Video footage of the attack was captured by surveillance cameras that authorities have installed throughout the troubled southernmost provinces and has been posted on YouTube.

“About 20 armed militants on three pickup trucks opened fire at the team of soldiers once they got close to them,” said Col Pramote Prom-in, a southern army spokesman.

Col Pramote said four soldiers were killed in the attack and two more were wounded as they returned fire. The attackers took the slain soldiers’ weapons and then fled the scene after a brief gun battle.

Sgt Luechai Junthong, Pvt Ekkarat Sitongmai, Pvt Pasim Hongmak and Pvt Benjarong Sikaew were killed on the spot. Sgt Preeda Noppakhun and Pvt Akhom Chuklom were seriously injured and taken to Mayo hospital.

The insurgents also threw spikes on roads leading to the village in a move to delay assistance from the authorities, police said.