Killing of a businessman, his daughter and nephew from Songkhla at the end of April was an outrage that shocked and angered the public in Thailand. One of the men now holed up at the holiday resort is believed to be 36 year old Amlan Mahile who is already the subject of 4 arrest warrants.
A standoff and siege between security forces and part of the terrorist gang suspected of murdering a family on the main Narathiwat to Pattani road at the end of April is underway on Talo Kapore beach as at least three insurgents who have already exchanged gunfire with security services, are refusing to surrender.
Thai security forces are believed to have engaged in gunfire a the gang of at least three men in the early hours of Monday morning at a seaside resort in the Yaring district of Pattani province which has resulted in a siege and standoff situation between a suspected group of insurgents and a combined force of the military and provincial police as well as an elite task force.
3 ‘innocent’ relatives dead in a horrifying terrorist attack on a main road in southern Thailand
It has emerged that the gang is linked to the murder on April 24th last of a businessman, his daughter and nephew who were gunned down and burned to death on the main road from Narathiwat province to Pattani.
Horrific attack in April believed to be linked to a local insurgency warlord in the southern province
The brutal terrorist attack which shocked Thailand, causing both outrage and revulsion, was believed to have been the work of a local insurgency warlord in Pattani.
Security sources on Monday are suggesting that one of the men barricaded in a resort villa on the eastern side of the Awada Seaside Resort on Talo Kapore beach is 36-year-old Amlan Mahile who is already the subject of four arrest warrants.
Police and task force tracked down gang by noting who had gone missing from their communities
The breakthrough for police in the hunt for the killer gang is believed to be leg work in tracking down known insurgency members who disappeared from their communities in the aftermath of the brazen and cowardly attack in April.
It is understood the insurgency has been supported throughout the southern province with community support to assist those in hiding including distribution of food and money.
Police intelligence sources learned that one of those who disappeared had used the holiday resort previously as a hideout from unsuspecting authorities.
Security forces moved in on Monday morning
Early on Monday morning, police had moved in to surround the resort on the beachfront.
Police units and personnel associated with the 43rd Ranger Regiment joined the Pattani Task Force at the scene.
At 3 am, it is reported that one of the gang opened fire on security services when the cordon was noticed.
This resulted in an exchange of gunfire between the gang for about 10 minutes in which authorities suspect at least one of the gang members sustained injuries.
Efforts made from 5 am to get the gang to surrender including appeals from community and religious leaders to avoid bloodshed on both sides
Major General Komkrit Ratanachana briefed the media on Monday morning at about 8 am on what was happening.
He said efforts were made to communicate with the group at 5 am by loudspeaker asking those inside the villa which was seen to have suffered gunfire damage, to surrender peacefully.
Attempts to communicate with the gang were made by Major General Komkrit but to no avail.
The terrorist group was also addressed by community and religious leaders who were called in to mediate with them in order to avoid loss of life or future bloodshed on both sides.
2 killed in a 15-minute firefight between security forces and insurgents as Pattani siege is ended
The standoff came to a violent end just before midday when armed forces, supported by military vehicles and helicopters, moved in. This resulted in a fierce 15-minute firefight in which two of the insurgent gang were killed and a third member of the gang was not to be found.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
3 ‘innocent’ relatives dead in a horrifying terrorist attack on a main road in southern Thailand
Suspect arrested linked to Yala outrage as top brass face up to a new threat in the South
Thai court issues warrants for two southern insurgents linked to ฿85 million gold heist in Songkhla
Rapid progress being made on Bangkok bomb probe with 9 suspects already being held by police
Bizarre coincidence as schoolboys cause Friday’s Bangkok bomb that put workers in hospital
Two Muslim men questioned as security officials link Friday’s bombing to southern insurgency
Bombs and fires set off in Bangkok designed to cause early morning terror in the Thai capital
