Three shot dead in Thai south

THAILAND: Three people were shot dead in Thailand's Muslim-majority south, police said Friday, despite the post-coup government's fresh efforts to bring peace to the troubled region.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced Thursday the government would set up a special economic zone in the south to lure investments as the local economy lagged far behind the rest of the nation due to the ongoing violence.

Since taking office after the September coup, Surayud has offered a number of olive branches, including a decision earlier this week to adopt the local dialect of Malay as a working language for local officials.

But the violence continued to rock the troubled region overnight as suspected Islamic militants shot dead a 40-year-old Buddhist teacher in Pattani, one of three restive provinces bordering Malaysia.

A 40-year-old Muslim worker was also gunned down in an ambush at his house late Thursday in Pattani, while a 25-year-old Muslim man was shot dead inside his parked car in neighboring Yala province.

YALA, Friday, AFP