Incident Summary:

12/27/2004: While returning from a motorcycle patrol, three border patrol policemen were killed and 1 was seriously injured in an attack in Songkhla's Chana District. The perpetrators of the attack were likely Thai Islamic separatists who had been waging an insurgency movement in Thailand's southern provinces.

GTD ID:
200412270001

When:
2004-12-27

Country:
Thailand

Region:
Southeast Asia

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Songkhla

City:
Pa Ching

Location Details:
The attack occurred at the Ban Salut intersection in the tambon (county) of Pa Ching which is located in the Chana District. The Chana District of the Songkhla Province borders the Pattani Province in Thailand's south.

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Armed Assault
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Police
Name of Entity Thailand Police
Specific Description Thai Border Police Patrol Unit 436
Nationality of Target Thailand
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage Yes
Extent of Property Damage Unknown
Value of Property Damage Unknown
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Firearms Automatic Weapon
Weapon Details
The attackers fired at police using an AK-47 assault rifle. The attacker was a passenger on a motorcycle.
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) Yes
Alternate Designation (more) Insurgency/Guerilla Action
Additional Information The four policemen had been assigned to provide security for trains between Chana District and the border with Pattani province.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Unknown No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators Unknown
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 3 Fatalities / 1 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 3
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 1
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Border police killed, one wounded,” Bangkok Post, December 28, 2004.
“Three killed in a spate of attacks in Thailand’s South,” Deutsche Presse-Agentur, December 28, 2004.
“Three southern Thai border policemen killed, village official shot,” Financial Times, December 28, 2004.