Two attackers on a motorcycle stopped and shot at Assistant Village Headman Tueko in front of a noodle shop in Ja-Nae Subdistrict, Narathiwat Province. Fortunately, the gun jammed, and he narrowly escaped death. He asserts he has never had conflicts with anyone before this incident.
At 21:30 on the night of 20 June 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Dao, deputy investigation officer of Ja-Nae Police Station, Narathiwat Province, received a report of a shooting at a noodle shop beside a house in Village No. 7, Ja-Nae Subdistrict. Along with Police Colonel Weerasak Per-sala, chief of Ja-Nae Police Station, Apinan Chajitta, district chief of Ja-Nae, and several police and military officers, he promptly went to investigate the scene.
At the roadside noodle shop, investigators found one plastic chair and recovered one M16 bullet casing. Behind the shop was a garage where a Honda Civic car was parked. Its rear left and right door windows bore three bullet holes. The wall of the adjacent house also had bullet holes with plaster fragments scattered on the ground. Authorities secured the area to coordinate with related agencies for further inspection the next morning.
At 11:30 on 21 June 2016, Police Colonel Weerasak, Apinan Chajitta, investigators, an explosives disposal team from the Narathiwat Provincial Police, and forensic officers conducted a detailed examination of the crime scene to collect evidence for forensic analysis.
Investigations revealed that after 48-year-old Danniya Kuete, Assistant Village Headman of Tueko, had completed evening prayers and returned home, he sat chatting with a friend in front of the noodle shop next to the garage. Two attackers on a motorcycle stopped about five meters away from them.
Danniya asked if they were looking for someone or going somewhere, but suddenly the passenger drew an M16 rifle and fired one shot at him. Seeing the shot, Danniya dodged, causing the bullet to miss and hit a rain tree beside the noodle shop. The bullet then ricocheted and shattered the rear left door window of the car parked in the garage, passing through to the rear right door window, causing three bullet holes.
Danniya fled toward the back of the house but collided with a friend also fleeing, causing him to fall. The attacker took this chance to get off the motorcycle and tried to shoot him again, but the gun jammed. Danniya then pushed his friend to run ahead while he followed, managing to escape the gunfire. Meanwhile, the attacker fired two more shots before quickly riding away on another waiting motorcycle.
Danniya said he had never had problems with anyone and usually felt safe living peacefully among locals. He has served as assistant village headman for 20 years. He believes the attacker’s gun malfunction gave him the chance to escape and survive.
Police Colonel Weerasak, chief of Ja-Nae Police Station, stated that given the weapon used, the attack likely came from insurgent militants aiming to assassinate government officials. Danniya has had no disputes or conflicts in nearly 20 years as assistant village headman and does not run any business aside from his noodle shop.