China broadcasts chilling footage of last moments of convicted murderers about to be executed by lethal injection Foreign inmates condemned to death for murder of 13 Chinese fishermen CCTV News showed footage of men about to be taken to execution site Broadcast condemned as insensitive by critics in China Bodies of 13 fishermen found inside cargo ships on Mekong river in 2011 China says killers launched attack in collusion with Thai soldiers Burmese drug kingpin Naw Kham among the four executed Said in pre-recorded interview: 'I miss my mum... I don't want to die' By Kerry Mcdermott A notorious drug lord told how he longed for his mother as footage of the moments before his execution was broadcast live to the nation in China. Burmese gangster Naw Kham was one of four death row prisoners paraded before news cameras in China today as they were escorted to an execution chamber in Yunnan province. State media broadcast live footage of the four foreign inmates, convicted of the murder of 13 Chinese fishermen on the Mekong river in 2011, as they were taken to be put to death by lethal injection today. The moment of death was not shown. Walk of death: Burmese prisoner Naw Kham is seen being escorted to an execution chamber in Kunming, China, today News outlets in China confirmed Kham, Hsang Kham, from Thailand, Yi Lai, who is stateless, and Zha Xika, from Laos, were put to death by lethal injection in Kunming, Yunnan province. Kham is believed to have been one of the most powerful warlords in the Golden Triangle comprising of Thailand, Laos and Burma, BBC News said. Liu Yuejin, head of China's anti-drug unit, told CCTV: 'Naw Kham is apparently a Buddhist. But his life has been dedicated to shooting, crime and murder. He is, by nature, a brutal killer with no regard for life. The state media agency's coverage of the prisoners' execution also included a pre-recorded interview with Kham understood to have been recorded earlier this week, in which the feared gangster said: 'I miss my mum... I don't want to die... I am afraid. Final moments: Zha Xika, of Laos, is seen being led to the execution chamber by guards in China Footage: State media released photographs of the men, including Yi Lai (pictured), and broadcast footage of the prisoners as they were about to be taken to be put to death 'I don't want my children to be like me. I am afraid of death. I want to live,' Kham told CCTV News, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph. Kham came to nationwide notoriety in China following the slaughter of 13 Chinese sailors when their ships were stormed by armed men on the Mekong river in 2011. The bodies of the 13 fishermen were found inside two cargo ships, the Hua Ping and the Yu Xing, on the Thai side of the river in October of that year. According to China's Xinhua news agency, Kham and his subordinates launched an attack on the two ships together with Thai soldiers. Escort: Police vans lined up outside the prison to take drug lord Naw Kham and his accomplices to the execution chamber Chilling: State media in China broadcast the final moments of four foreign prisoners before they were put to death in Yunnan province Condemned: Naw Kham, from Burma, was among the prisoners shown ahead of his execution in China Outraged viewers took to social media to express their distaste at the decision to parade the condemned men in front of cameras, condemning it as insensitive and an unwelcome reminder of public execution rallies staged in China in years past. The men were brought to China last May after being arrested over the Mekong incident in May last year. Throwback: Viewers in China condemned the decision to broadcast the footage as insensitive Insensitive: Many in China complained the broadcast was an unwelcome reminder of mass execution rallies staged in the country in the past Of two other gang members who were also convicted in connection with the deaths of the fishermen, one received a death sentence with reprieve while the other was sentenced to eight years in prison. An investigation was launched in Thailand into allegations against nine of its soldiers. Xinhua said the legal rights of the prisoners were 'fully respected' while they were on death row. The 2011 attack on the Mekong river came during a spate of incidents of vessels being hijacked in the region, which is well known for drug-trafficking. Reports at the time said armed men had hijacked the ships to smuggle drugs into Thailand. The wave of attacks has been blamed on gangs operating in the area. Officials in China have said efforts to safeguard shipping on the Mekong would continue. Live footage: The moment of death was not shown in the state media broadcast Convicted: The four men were executed over the deaths of 13 Chinese fishermen on the Mekong river in 2011