Baby among five killed in teashop shooting
Play
Violence continued in the deep south province of Narathiwat's Rangae district on Tuesday as insurgents fired bullets into a tea shop, killing four including a 11monthold baby and injuring four others.
The baby was identified as Ephani Samoh. The other victims were Kabaree Hoh, 37, Pangor Nimae, 74 and Ameesi Jehdoh, 23. They succumbed to gunshots wounds to the head and body.
Piyawat Mong, the owner of the house that was used as teashop, said that a pickup truck with three men in the back stopped outside the teashop while his wife; Kamera Mama, was selling food and beverages at about 7am.
The men in the back then opened fire, spraying bullets around the teashop, which is usually crowded at that time of day. They then sped away from the scene. Police found cartridges from assault rifles including M16 and AK47.
Five others who were seriously injured, among them a tenmonthold baby and 74yearold man, were rushed to nearby Rangae Hospital.
Meanwhile some 300 schools reopened on Tuesday after having been closed last week in protest at the government’s failure to provide security and safety for the educational personnel.
The reopening was implemented amidst tight security. The protest came after a female school director; Nuntana Kaewchan, 51, in Pattani was gunned down just 100 metres from her school last month.
Nuntana of Banta Kamcham School was shot in the face and torso by two men hiding near a fence of the school as she was driving her car to the funeral of a police officer.
