Buses suspend services following attack on public bus
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Public passenger vans in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district on Tuesday suspended services after insurgents opened fire on a public pickup on Monday, killing two officials and injuring many others.
The victims were identified as Patimoh Salae, 34 and Naowarat Leenin, 29, both agriculture officials in Sunagai Padi district. Both died on the way to the hospital. As of press time, four of the five passengers injured in the attack had been allowed to return home.
The suspended routes were from Narathiwat’s Muang district to Sungai Kolok, Joh I Rong and Sungai Padi districts. People in these districts have been badly affected by the suspension, as the public buses provide the major mode of transportation in this border province.
Following the ambush, combined forces blanketed the area and searched for the attackers in Joh I Rong and Rangae districts.
Initial police investigation quoted witnesses as saying some 12 individuals were involved in the attack. They emerged from behind bushes on the roadside and opened fire with assault rifles at the passenger pickup, which was crowded with passengers heading home from work.
Police collected many spent M16 and AK47 cartridges from the scene.
