Prachachat MP narrowly escapes death in armed ambush

A Prachachat MP in Narathiwat province, Kamonsak Leewamoh, narrowly escaped death and injury early this morning when a van, in which he was travelling with his chauffeur and a body guard, was ambushed by armed men in front of his house in Ba Cho district in the province.

Both his 55-year-old driver and his 43-year-old body guard were shot and wounded.

Police said that the MP flew back from Bangkok after attending a parliamentary meeting on Thursday. The plane stopped over in Hat Yai before arriving in Narathiwat shortly after midnight, where he was picked by his driver.

When his chauffeur-driven Toyota Alphard arrived in front of his house on the Petchkasem Road, at about 1am this morning, a hail of gunfire erupted.

Kamonsak, who was riding in rear seat, managed to dodge the bullets and escaped injury. The gunmen immediately fled the scene.

District police and an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team rushed to Kamonsak’s house to provide additional security for the MP. The two injured men were rushed to the district hospital.

Officers then scoured the area surrounding the house in search of evidence and police say that the investigation is ongoing.

About five hours earlier, in neighboring Su-ngai Padi district, suspected insurgents launched armed attacks on two checkpoints, one guarded by defence volunteers and the other by paramilitary rangers. No one was injured.

Security forces found a fire extinguisher, rigged with explosives and with a wire attached, on a bridge about 50 metres from the checkpoint manned by defence volunteers. An EOD team later defused the device.

The two incidents in Su-ngai Padi district prompted the Narathiwat Task Force to increase security in the district.