Gunmen attack Pattani railway checkpoint, security officer killed

An attack on a railway checkpoint in Pattani province left a 22 year old officer dead, as unidentified assailants believed to be separatist militants, fired shots and stole a gun. Security forces are now hunting for the perpetrators along their escape routes.

On the evening of June 10, a group of armed suspects, dressed like Va’ah members, attacked a railway checkpoint in Pattani’s Kok Pho district, resulting in the death of Sub Lieutenant Phichak Buakaew, 22 years old, from the 13th Rapid Deployment Company. The attackers fled the scene with one of the officer’s guns.

The incident occurred while the officer was on duty at the checkpoint, ensuring the safety of the railway staff and waiting to close the railway signal. There were at least four attackers, armed with two long barrel guns and one short barrel gun, believed to be an M16. One of the suspects, dressed as a woman, parked a motorbike nearby before opening fire.

Following the attack, the authorities alerted all units to set up checkpoints and coordinated efforts to track down the group responsible. It is suspected that these individuals belong to the separatist group BRN, which is notorious for committing violent acts in the region.

The Thai Special Forces Facebook page recently released closed-circuit camera footage that is believed to show the members of the BRN group behind the shooting of Officer Phichak Buakaew at the railway checkpoint in Na Pradu, Kok Pho district, Pattani province, reported Sanook.

Due to the increasing activities of criminals, Thailand’s Police Division 8 enforced gun practice training for officers to effectively deal with dangerous situations involving criminals. The training’s goal is to improve officers’ skills in handling weapons and their readiness to face real-life scenarios. The practice included dry-firing target practice and practical weapons training for combat handguns. For more information, click the LINK to read more.