| Two armed men suspected of links with international Islamic militants broke into an air force base radar station in violence-hit southern Thailand and escaped before security forces could catch them, the air force chief said Wednesday. The incident took place last week at the Thai Air Force’s 56th Wing base in the Klong Hoykhong district of Songkhla province, Air Chief Marshal Kongsak Wanttana told reporters. He didn’t specify the date. The unidentified men - both believed to be Thais - may have used skills learned from overseas terrorist organizations to enter the facility, he said. "They may have learned abroad and come back to inspect this station to see if a sabotage effort would be successful, or were simply checking to see how good our security precautions were," Kongsak said. A senior air force officer at the base said the men broke in and escaped unhurt after security personnel opened fire on them. The incident came before Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s visit to the base, the officer said. |