Yala police chief criticises killings of four vendors

“The attack was very outrageous and has affected people inside and outside the area, as the victims were from Rayong and came to Yala to buy fruit,” he said.

He said those fighting for ideological reasons, no matter where they are, the Philippines, Aceh or other places, fight against other fighters. “No fighters fight with civilians or weaker persons. This attack was carried out against people without the ability to fight back. The gunmen should reconsider their actions.”

He expressed confidence that police would be able to take legal action against the gunmen as there was plenty of evidence left at the scene.

“I already ordered a check be made to see if there are other ThaiBuddhists who have come to the area to buy fruits so that we can provide protection for them,” he said.

Armed men early Tuesday morning tied up four Buddhist fruit traders then shot them in the head one by one in the latest gruesome insurgency attack in the deep southern province of Yala.

Police found the bodies of the victims, who included a woman, with their hands still tied behind their backs, in a house in Krong Pinang district at about 1am.

The four, a couple and two men, were from the eastern province of Rayong . They were identified as Thavorn Suvannachote, 35 and his wife; Tassana Toomporn, 25, Sutat Somroob, 37 and Somchai Ruenrom, 30.

According to the initial police investigation, a group of seven gunmen dressed in black arrived in a pickup, ambushed the group who were in the middle of dinner, tied the victims’ hands behind their backs and shot them dead. 

Police suspect the shootings are the work of an insurgent group led by Issamaae Layalong, which has been involved in the killings of police, soldiers and villagers in Krong Pinang district.