Two Soldiers Linked to Loggers' Deaths Surrender to Police in Narathiwat

Two soldiers turned themselves in on Friday as part of an investigation into the shooting deaths of three unarmed civilians by Thai security forces in the mountains of insurgency-stricken Narathiwat province on Dec. 16, police said.

The killings have sparked new anger against the Thai government in Narathiwat and neighboring provinces in the mainly Muslim and Malay-speaking Deep South, a heavily militarized region where a rebellion against Bangkok rule has simmered for decades.

“One is a volunteer [army] ranger and another is a commissioned officer. They turned themselves in and brought with them two pistols to Narathiwat city’s police station at 7 a.m. today. Previously, the 45th Ranger Forces Regiment told us that they would come at 10 a.m.,” Narathiwat police chief Maj. Gen. Narin Busaman told BenarNews.

The pair turned up at the police station a day after the army chief in southern Thailand ordered security-unit members who were involved in killing the three loggers to turn themselves in so an investigation could begin, Thai media reported.

Military and police officials withheld the names of the two soldiers.

Full story: BenarNews

Matahari Ismail and Mariyam Ahmad
Narathiwat, Thailand