In a tragic incident in Thailand’s southern region, three individuals, including a nine-year-old girl and a 75-year-old man, were killed in a shooting carried out by a gunman believed to have ties to a separatist rebel group. The attack took place in the Tak Bai district of Narathiwat province late Friday, a locality that has long been affected by a relentless insurgency.
Authorities reported that the shooting occurred in a residential area, a setting where such violence against unarmed civilians is relatively uncommon. While shootings and targeted attacks are frequent in the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala—regions marked by a decade-long struggle for autonomy—this incident underscores a disturbing trend of escalating violence directed toward civilians. Local police officer Watthana Thurarat confirmed that one victim died on the scene, while the other two succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital, with two additional individuals sustaining injuries.
The suspect remains at large, heightening fears within the community. Law enforcement believes that this incident may be connected to ongoing conflict fueled by separatist sentiments that have claimed over 7,000 lives since 2004. The long-standing turmoil follows a history marked by significant violence, including the infamous Tak Bai incident in 2004 when security forces shot into a crowd of protesters, resulting in multiple fatalities and widespread suffocation among detained individuals.
Last year, a Thai court dismissed a case related to the Tak Bai incident as the statute of limitations expired, a decision that has been criticized for potentially exacerbating tensions in a region already fraught with conflict. As the investigation continues and the search for the gunman intensifies, the community remains on high alert, fearing further acts of violence amidst an atmosphere of uncertainty and despair.
