Attackers in violence-plagued southern Thailand shot dead a village defense volunteer on Monday before cutting off his ears, the police said, in an attack believed to be a threat to villagers cooperating with authorities. Sama-ae Jeh-ha, a 56-year-old Muslim, was riding his motorcycle to sell fried Chinese bread to coffee shops when he was fatally shot by attackers, said police Lt. Nethiwuth Deekaew of the Sungai Padi district of Narathiwat province.
The attackers then tried to behead him using a machete, but people started to pass on the road nearby, so they cut off his ears and fled the scene with them, Nethiwuth said. Police found Sama-ae's body lying in a pool of blood next to the motorcycle. They believe that there were about two or three assailants, and that the attack could have been a threat to villagers who are cooperating with authorities. |