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3 shot dead in southern Thailand despite 60% drop in violence
Violence in Thailand's volatile southern region where government forces battle different militant groups has dropped by about 60%, according to the National Security Council (NSC).
NSC secretary-general General Thawip Netniyom attributed the decrease to tighter security measures.
"The statistics show violence in the southern region has dropped by 60%, due to tighter security by soldiers and policemen, in addition to better intelligence," he told the media today.
Nevertheless, he said there was still violence and unrest in the region, an indication that several groups were opposed to the peace initiative adopted by the government.
The present government headed by the military has engaged in unofficial peace talks with Mara Pattani, an umbrella body of six different militant groups in southern Thailand, since over a year ago.
The talks to bring peace to southern Thailand were facilitated by Malaysia.
But despite the Thai government's statement that violence in the region had dropped, three more people including a policeman were shot dead and a woman was badly injured in four separate shooting incidences in Pattani and Narathiwat today.
Pattani's police chief Major General Thanongsak Wangsupa said a 49-year-old assistant headman of Kampung Kok Teluk, Nongchik was shot dead en route to a fishing trip.
In the 11.40am incident, the victim was reportedly shot with an M-16 assault rifle. A total of 10 spent casings were found nearby.
More than five hours earlier, rubber tapper Zainah Hama, 50, was shot four times while working at the Tung-ya-Deng district in Pattani but miraculously survived. She was warded at the district hospital.
Meanwhile in Narathiwat, a policeman was shot dead this afternoon by an unidentified assailant at Kampung Salamai, Takbai while carrying out duties to protect teachers at a secondary school in the district.
According to Narathiwat's police chief, Major General Pattanawut Angkanawin, the gunman took the victim's M-4 rifle and handgun.
In another incident at 1.30pm, the 49-year-old village headman of Kampung Air Kasae, Srisakorn district in Narathiwat was gunned down by two men riding a motorcycle. – Bernama, March 8, 2016.
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