11-1-2024 (BANGKOK) In a concerning incident in the southern border province of Yala, authorities are in pursuit of a group of armed individuals who targeted a pickup truck carrying border patrol police in Bannang Sata district. The attack, occurring on Wednesday afternoon, resulted in panic among residents as they fled the scene, leaving two officers seriously injured.
The armed assault took place in front of a grocery store at Buesu village in Bannang Sata, with the police receiving reports around 3:15 pm on Wednesday. The targeted attack occurred shortly after border patrol officers had parked their pickup truck outside the store to make purchases.
During the assault, Pol Cpl Thanakit Jaihao sustained a gunshot wound to the right ear, while Pol Cpl Watchara Mayachieo was hit in the right shoulder and left arm. The injured officers were swiftly transported to Bannang Sata Hospital for medical attention.
Following the incident, police managed to obtain security camera footage revealing a group of four armed men launching an attack on the border patrol police after their vehicle had been parked. The CCTV footage captured the gunmen rushing towards a parked pickup truck belonging to a local resident, initiating the assault on the border patrol police’s vehicle in front of the store. The officers utilized another parked pickup truck as cover and returned fire. After a brief exchange, the assailants fled the scene on two motorcycles, causing vendors and local residents to flee in panic.
Authorities are actively pursuing the four armed individuals, with police suspecting their involvement in insurgent groups aiming to instigate unrest in the southern region. The hunt for the perpetrators is ongoing as security forces work to apprehend those responsible for the targeted attack.
