Manhunt for “Shoot and Burn” Insurgents in Southern Thailand

Ekkapong Sakdayuth,collapsed on the ground, they poured gasoline from the bottle and from the pump onto his body before setting it on fire.

The gruesome incident took place at a gas station owned by the victim, Ekkapong Sakdayuth, a retired Special Branch policeman, in Village Three, Yaha district of Yala this morning.

It was reported that two suspected insurgents of a gang led by Ubaideela rode their motorcycle into the gas station to fill up their fuel tank and a bottle. As the victim was filling up the bottle with gasoline, the pillion rider pulled out an automatic pistol and shot him twice on the head and at his chest.

When the victim collapsed on the ground, they poured gasoline from the bottle and from the pump onto his body before setting it on fire.

About 30 metres away from the gas station, police found a hand-written note believed left by the two assailants. The note blamed a defence volunteer for harassing villagers in Ban Bannang Kuwae and threatened that more Buddhists would be killed.

Last week, a female teacher was shot and her body torched by suspected insurgents as she was riding a motorcycle from home to school in Yala.