Thailand: Three Killed, Tens Wounded In Violent Attacks

hree people were killed and tens of others were wounded in South of Thailand, as violent insurgency in the region continues to intensify between Islamists rebels and the Thai authority, Bangkok Post reported on Monday.

The Thai newspaper said that unidentified gunmen had shot a retired policeman at his home as well as a monk in his temple, in Pattani Province, while a motorcycles repair workshop owner was killed in Narathiwart city.

Thai authorities tightened security on the areas of these incidents in order to facilitate the on-going investigations of these killings, it noted.

The newspaper further said that the death of the monk followed a violent attack on a Buddhist temple in which many had fallen injured, noting that this incident might ignite religious dispute in the South.

Thai Police was able to arrest six rebels who were involved in the retired policeman shooting, while investigations are still on-going for the death of the motorcycles workshop owner.

Thai government holds Islamists rebels in the South responsible for these terrorist acts, the newspaper added.

Rebels in South of the country have started these attacks since 2004 in the provinices of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwart where as many as 4,400 locals were killed and over 7,000 were injured.