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Defence force volunteer shot and mutilated [Thailand]
Bangkok Post ^ | Tuesday August 29, 2006 | POST REPORTERS

Posted on 08/28/2006 10:35:48 PM PDT by Northern Alliance

Defence force volunteer shot and mutilated

Villagers threatened, told to leave homes

A defence volunteer's ears were chopped off, his throat slashed and his body riddled with bullets in Narathiwat's Sungai Padi district early yesterday during a spate of violence by southern insurgents.

The body of Sama-ae Joeha, 50, was found on a road in tambon Riko in Sungai Padi district, police said. His head was almost cut off, police said.

Witnesses told police Sama-ae was delivering sweets on a motorcycle when he was attacked by at least two men who hid in bushes at the roadside.

In Yala, the chief-of-staff of the 1st special task force, Col Wattana Kromkhan, and three other officers narrowly escaped a roadside bomb attack in Yala's Bannang Sata district on Sunday night.

The bomb was detonated as the officers' vehicle passed the spot. The blast damaged the vehicle and left a two-metre-wide crater in the road.

The attack followed an explosion on Saturday which killed the 1st special task force chief, Col Sutthisak Prasertsri, and Pvt Phanuwat Tanya in the province's Than To district.

Two men, Awae-useng, 40, and Sapae-ing Sapibuema, 49, were arrested at their homes in Yala's Bannang Sata district in connection with Col Sutthisak's death.

Police seized a spike-making machine in yesterday's raid at Mr Awae-useng's house.

They have questioned the two men and will examine spikes found at the scene of the attack to see if they were made by the seized machine.

A 100-strong team left empty-handed after searching Khumphi Wittaya Islamic school and houses near the attack scene.

A source said Ma-ae Aphibalbae, a leader of the Runda Kampulan Kecil (RKK), was believed to have masterminded the bomb attack. His group has been linked to the deaths of security officers and teachers in the area.

Col Sutthisak and Pvt Phanuwat will posthumously receive a 10-step promotion, army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said. Col Sutthisak will be made full general and Pvt Phanuwat a sub-lieutenant.

The family of Col Sutthisak will receive compensation of 4.5 million baht and Pvt Phanuwat's family almost one million baht.

Gen Sonthi yesterday visited four other officers injured in the explosion on Saturday. The wounded had been transferred to King Mongkut Hospital.

Elsewhere in Bannang Sata district, fear has gripped local villagers after notes were left on their doorsteps demanding they leave their hometowns.

"We have no idea where to live and work. The pressure has been mounting. Our fruit and rubber trees have been cut down and torched," said Pimpan Suankaew.

She said no one dares to attend the funeral rites of her late sister Somporn Chatthong, a suspected police informer, and husband Sujin Musigasong, who were both murdered.

Security in the far South and for caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and senior military officers was the focus of the National Security Council meeting yesterday. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit said he had received intelligence reports two months ago that southern militants would target high-ranking officers.