Violence follows visit by Thai prime minister to south

[dArKeR]

AP , BANGKOK
Thursday, Mar 18, 2004,Page 5

Violence in Thailand's Muslim-dominated south continued Wednesday with a hospital worker fatally shot, one day after the prime minister made a high-profile visit to the region to address its grievances and pledge nearly US$800 million in aid.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra held a Cabinet meeting in the southern province of Pattani in hopes of easing unrest that officials blame on a Muslim insurgency, emboldened by the growth of Southeast Asian militant movements such as the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.

At least 50 people, including police officers, military officials, Buddhist monks and government workers, have been slain in hit-and-run attacks in the Muslim-dominated southern provinces since early January.

On Wednesday, an unidentified gunman shot hospital laboratory worker Thirasak Yodkaew, 30, in his arm and lung while he was going to work in the Ra-ngae district of Narathiwat province, a police officer said on condition of anonymity. He later died in hospital.

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