[Kkhaosod] Police on Friday blamed the shooting of a man and his 3-year-old son at their home in southern Thailand on separatist militants. Prapan Laipraditporn and his son, Peerapat, were relaxing on the front porch of their home when gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on them with M16 rifles. The two were later sent to hospital where they’re expected to recover.
Patcharapon na Nakhon, chief of the Takbai police department said, "We believe the incident is related to unrest in the region," referring to the secessionist campaign Muslim insurgents have waged in the far South for over a decade.
Patcharapon believes the rebels targeted Prapan and his son because they are Buddhist civilians and therefore "soft targets".
A bullet grazed Prapan across his back while his toddler son was shot in the stomach, the police chief said, though he said both were making good recovery.