BANGKOK, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- At least five people have been killed and dozens injured in a riot on Monday afternoon in Thailand's violence-plagued deep south.
Security forces fired shots in the air and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse thousands of people gathering around the police station in Takai District of Narathiwat Province, which lies some 1,000 kilometers south of Bangkok and neighbors Malaysia to the south.
The demonstration, demanding the release of six local officials detained for their falsely reporting weapons were stolen, developed into a riot trying to destroy the fence and storming the police station.
Around 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon, some six hours after the demonstration started, the authorities took action to calm down the riot, resulting in the clashes between the two sides.
At least three civilians and two or three security officials have been killed in the riot, a military source unwilling to be named told Xinhua.
So far, there has no official announcement of casualties and the injured are estimated around a dozen. Local reports said six civilians have been killed and 12 wounded.
Following the incident, the Fourth Army Commander Pisarn Wattanawongkeeree, whose troops are in charge of the region's security, ordered immediate curfew in the three southernmost provinces including Narathiwat.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra also made an urgent visit to the region on Monday night, according to local media reports.
He made sure that the authorities take their actions based on investigation and evidence.
Thailand's south has fallen into spiraling violence since the beginning of this year, when suspected re-flared local separatists created violence on almost daily basis that has claimed about 360 lives.
The authorities also attributed the constant violence for long-time unbalanced social and economic development of the region -- home to most of Thailand's small Muslim population.
In a bid to improve the security situation, the authorities have trained local villagers and given them weapons for self-defense.
However, recent attacks were proved to be carried out by weapons as from the same source of those issued to villagers for self-defense, said a Fourth Army press conference on Oct. 21.
The fourth army then arrested six local officials, accusing them of falsely reporting weapons were stolen, and thus triggered off the riot.
So far, The gathering has been dispersed and the local situation has been under control.
Some 500 teenagers taking part in the demonstration have been arrested by the authorities and transported by military trucks to the Fourth Army camp in neighboring Pattani province for further investigation, said the military source.
Around 9:00 p.m. on Monday, unidentified assailants set fire to a Buddhist school in the Bajoh District of Narathiwat and set road barricade to block traffic. No casualty has been reported. Enditem |