Revered bomb disposal expert among 3 killed
Play
Pol Sub-Lt Shaen Warongphaisit, a police bomb-disposal veteran whose face was familiar to both locals and reporters covering the South insurgency, was yesterday laid to rest from his tiring and dangerous job after succumbing to severe injuries from a bomb
The bomb exploded while he was trying to defuse another at a site in Narathiwat’s Bacho district. The explosion also killed, Pol Sub Lieutenant Charoon Mekmaung and Pol Sergeant Nimit Deewong, who were part of the explosive ordnance disposal team, and wounded a Navy disposal expert known only as Chief Petty Officer First Class Somkiat.
Yesterday’s toll brought the total number of casualties this year to six deaths and 15 injured. Provincial police chief, Pol Maj-General Phatthanawut Angkhanawin, said this was possibly an insurgency-related set-up targeting EOD police and military personnel.
The bomb was detonated by a two-way radio, while the first, possibly planted as a decoy, was being defused by Shaen, 50.
The late officer had spent the past decade defusing more than 200 bombs in the deep South. Fellow team members and his superiors – both past and present – were disheartened to hear of the losses, especially Shaen’s death.
Shaen and Charoon survived, but sustained severe injuries, in a similar bomb incident in June 2011, in which three explosives were planted with the aim to trap and kill.
Shaen, whose vast experience and demeanour led him to become widely liked by the local population and well-known to both local and national media, received an award from Nation Multimedia Group four years ago as an Outstanding Policeman. The award was handed to him on the annual Police Day, which is marked every year on October 13.
A 1985 graduate of a constabulary school in the deep South, Shaen served mostly on the field doing combat-related duties. He held non-commissioned ranks and was promoted to sub-lieutenant in June 2001. A Narathiwat native, Shaen was of Chinese descent and previously went by the surname of sae-Wong. He is survived by his wife Nanthawan and two children.
A 1985 graduate of a constabulary school in the deep South, Shaen served mostly on the field doing combat-related duties. He held non-commissioned ranks and was promoted to sub-lieutenant in June 2001. A Narathiwat native, Shaen was of Chinese descent and previously went by the surname of sae-Wong. He is survived by his wife Nanthawan and two children.
