The attack comes amid a sharp upsurge in the number of brutal attacks in the southernmost provinces, bordering Malaysia, where 11 people were killed in a vicious assault on a mosque during evening prayers by unidentified gunmen on Monday night-- the deadliest incident in the region this year.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Friday he had instructed two government ministers to travel with army chief Anupong Paojinda to the troubled region on Saturday to expedite the inquiry into the mosque shooting. Gen Anupong said he hoped the inquiry would refute villagers' claims that the shooting was carried out by members of the security forces. "We will speak the truth but we can't speculate on who the perpetrators are without evidence,'' the army chief said.
On Thursday, two men were detained in Narathiwat province after they were found in possession of leaflets accusing state authorities of masterminding the mosque massacre. Also on Thursday, the cabinet approved a three-year development plan with a budget of 54 billion baht to improve the quality of life in the far South. The government hopes to end the unrest by bringing prosperity to the region.
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On Thursday, three civilians were killed and one injured in two separate