Thailand's prime minister began a surprise visit yesterday to three provinces in the Muslim-majority south following a new call for peace by the nation's queen, and fresh intimidation by militants.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra began his two-day tour by visiting a Buddhist temple in Pattani, and then meeting with lreligious and business leaders.
Later he was heading to Yala, for more talks with local leaders, but officials declined to announce his agenda, citing security concerns.
Police said two Muslim men, former militants who had become informants to security forces, were shot dead yesterday in the south just hours before Thaksin arrived, police said.
Karee Jeahnu, 52, and Doloh Hama, 43, were shot by two gunmen on a motorcycle who killed them as they sipped their morning tea at a teashop, an officer said.
Before leaving Bangkok, Thaksin urged residents in the provinces along the Malaysian border to remain resolute and not bend to demands of militants, who for two weeks have distributed anonymous leaflets threatening death to Muslims who work on Thursdays and Fridays.
Friday is the Muslim holy day.
"My fellow countrymen in those three southern provinces must show their strength, show that they want to live better lives and that they do not want to live under the demands of others," he said in his radio address early yesterday.
The visit comes two days after Queen Sirikit made an impassioned plea to end violence, in a message to the nation marking her 73rd birthday.
Thaksin called on the country to respond to the queen's plea for peace.
"Her majesty is very concerned, so all Thais across the nation must unite to stop the violence," he said.
Anonymous handwritten leaflets distributed in Yala Province last week threatened to kill or chop off the ears of Muslims in Pattani and Narathiwat provinces who work on Thursday or Friday.
Local officials estimated that only 20 percent of businesses opened on Friday in Yala, mostly those owned by Buddhists.
One Buddhist gas station owner, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of his safety, said he received an anonymous telephone call threatening to kill him unless he closed his station.
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