Thousands protest over slaying of student

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: some 4,000 students and lecturers from Princess of Naradhiwas University (PNU) rallied in Narathiwat’s Muang district yesterday morning in protest against violence in the region that claimed the life of a young schoolmate.

The group, led by PNU rector Jongrak Plasai, called for an end to violence against innocent people and condemned those who shot dead the university’s second-year student Suthida Tangjai on November 2. He called for a swift investigation by police to punish the killers.

The rally attracted the attention of bystanders, who backed the call for peace and a ban on violence against innocent people and said such killings would create more attacks.

Meanwhile, suspected insurgents hurled a grenade and opened fire yesterday at a booth for village defence volunteers in Bannang Kuwae in Yala’s Bannang Sata district. This led to a brief gunfight but no injuries were reported, although there was damage to the booth and a nearby backhoe. Police collected many spent M16 bullets from the scene along with a grenade pin.

Defence volunteer Abdul-hakim Darase said he was at the booth alone when he heard the explosion at 2.30am followed by gunshots so he fired back at 7-8 attackers for 15 minutes, with help from another volunteer who lived nearby. Abdul-hakim and his family had been targeted by attacks until his parents and a two-year-old niece were killed earlier this year. Insurgents were reportedly angry of him joining the security officials’ side.

In Yarang district in Pattani, a roadside bomb was set off at 7.50am yesterday, targeting a ranger team providing protection for teachers about 500 metres from Ban Khao Toom School. This led to a volunteer ranger getting a minor injury.

— Phuket Gazette Editors