Monk and boy, 9, among four killed in attacks in Thailand’s restive south

Suspected Muslim rebels in southern Thailand killed four people, including a nine-year-old boy, on Thursday, police said, adding the attack have been in reprisal for the killing of some Muslim boys.

Thailand is a mainly Buddhist country, but the three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are majority-Muslim and resistance to central government rule has existed there for decades, resurfacing violently in 2004.

Four rebels riding two motorcycles opened fire on villagers giving alms to Buddhist monks in Mae Lan district of Pattani province, killing two women, a Buddhist monk and the boy, police said. Seven other people were injured.

“This was a revenge attack,” Pattani chief of police Phot Suaysuwan said. “We believe there is a link between the killing of Buddhists this week and the murder of three Muslim boys last week.”

Two Buddhist women were gunned down in two separate attacks in Pattani this week. Both were shot dead and set on fire.

Phot said the attacks were in revenge for the deaths of three Muslim brothers aged three, five and nine, who were gunned down in front of their home in neighbouring Narathiwat province.

The boy’s deaths had set off “a chain reaction”, said Srisompob Jitpiromsri of the Deep South Watch think-tank.