[Bangkok Post] Two suspected militants were gunned down in a firefight with Thai soldiers at a checkpoint in Pattani province early Friday morning. The clash occurred on a rural road in Sai Buri district following a bomb explosion earlier in the night near a police station in Mai Kaen district and attack on an army outpost in Yarang district.The two men were traveling on a motorcycle when rangers manning a checkpoint signaled them to pull over for a search. The motorcycle rider turned back to get away and the pillion rider fired shots at the rangers, who then returned fire. The two men were shot and killed.
Another team of rangers was deployed to the scene and found a suspicious package a short distance down the road. Bomb disposal officers reported it was a homemade bomb, and destroyed it. Authorities believe the two motorcyclists had planted the roadside bomb, targeting security forces. After placing it they encountered the soldiers manning the checkpoint along their escape route.
The suspected militants were identified as Lukman Salae of Pattani’s Mai Kaen district, and Amran Bueraheng of Sai Buri district.
A car bomb was detonated near the old Mai Kaen police station around 10pm on Thursday. Nobody was wounded. Around 10:30pm, armed men riding on two pickup trucks fired on a military outpost in Yarang district. There were no injuries, but the garage was shot up.