YALA: An assistant chairman of a tambon administration organisation (TAO), who was also a construction contractor, was shot dead in a gun attack in Muang district of this southern border province on Saturday afternoon, police said.
Pol Col Suthivet Boonratkalin, deputy chief of Yala police, said the incident occurred at a house under construction on Wong Wian road in tambon Sateng.
Police arrived at the the scene to find Abdultale Chapakiya, 48, lying dead in a pool of blood at the construction site.
Abdultale was assistant chairman of the Khao Tum TAO in tambon Khao Tum in Pattani's Yarang district. He was also a construction contractor.
Construction workers told the police that while Abdultale was at the site for inspection, a man came to see him and a heated argument ensued. The man then pulled out a 9mm gun and fired 10 shots at Abtultale, killing him on the spot, before fleeing. Ten spent cartridges of 9mm ammunition were left at the scene.
The police were gathering evidence and examining security camera recordings in order to identify and then search for the attacker.
An investigation was underway to establish whether the attack was related to a business conflict or insurgency in the region.
