Riot at prison in Thai south ends

PATTANI, July 16 (TNA) -- The prison riot which took palce in the Thai southern province of Pattani has finally come to an end, with three killed and five others injured. The prison guards increasing security in and around the perimetre grounds without further negotiation on the demands of the inmates. Some 300 inmates who instigated the riot were moved to other prisons, afterwhich a report has said one more prisoner was killed, bringing the total death toll to three and five injured, comprising of three inmates and two guards, all of whom are in safe conditions and had been released from the hospitals. The atmosphere at the Pattani Central Prison has also returned to normal, where the crowd of inmates' relatives had thinned, as the prison had announced no visitation until Monday. Meanwhile, the Corrections Deparment director-general Patikom Wongsuwan has planned to soon visit the prison to once again inspect the cause behind the riot. The commander of the Pattani Central Prison Nopporn Rattanawai on the other hand has ordered that an investigative committee be set up to find out the real cause of yesterday's riot, where prison guards and authorities were able to put the situatoon back into order by 2am, Thailand's time this morning. Forensics team is also set to sweep into the scene to inspect the area, after the 333 prisonrs involved in the riot were moved to five other prisons temporarily, while more guards have been mobilised to the Pattani prison to oversee the almost 1,400 inmates still held at there. Pattani Police Chief Maj Gen Thanongsak Wangsupa said the riot broke out at around 4.30pm., Thailand's time on Friday, as the inmates set fire to parts of the building. He said the incentive for the riot is probably the prison stricter control and inspection to curb drugs smuggling into the prison. He noted that during the riot, the prisoners also demanded to meet with the Pattani governor and Pattani Religious Council president, but their demands were denied due to security reasons. (TNA)