Police said Yunu, an employee at the Pikulthong Development Centre Royal Project, was on his way to work when two gunmen riding on a motorbike opened fire with a 11mm pistol. He died at the scene after being shot four times in the head and back.

In Chanae district in the same province, two gunmen shot dead Ayu Uding, 25, who was playing football. Investigating officers said the gunmen rode a motorbike across the field and opened fire at Ayu with a .38 pistol, shooting five rounds. Ayu died instantly while other players ran for their lives.

Also in Narathiwat, Wang Wantawichai, 57, was critically injured by gunmen while riding his motorbike back home in Tak Bai district. Two gunmen riding a motorbike approached Wang from behind and opened fire before speeding away, officials said. He was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital.

In Sungai Kolok district, Sutthidet Sukdaengprom, 19, was injured in a drive-by shooting while waiting for friends to help fix his motorbike.

In Bacho district, two gunmen lit an oil-soaked canvas sack and threw it into a public phone booth, destroying it.

Officials believed Muslim militants were behind all the attacks.

Meanwhile, Narathiwat Governor Pracha Therat held a press conference about a police raid on three houses in Rusoh district of Narathiwat on Monday. Police found one AK-47 assault rifle, a semi-automatic rifle and 100 rounds of ammunition.

More than 1,200 people have lost their lives in almost daily attacks since January 2004. The government is still struggling to restore peace but has convinced some suspected insurgents and militant sympathisers to surrender and attend a week-long re-education camps.

But these policies have been controversial. Critics claim the mass surrenders are staged and designed mainly to enhance the political standing of local officials. They say they do nothing to address the root cause of the problems in the region.

There have been other mishaps, including a pregnant woman and an ailing youth being asked to attend the camps.

Sadeemee Cheteerokee, 20, a patient under Her Majesty the Queen's royal patronage, was asked to attend re-education despite not having been involved in any part of insurgency. His father, Maseng Cheteerokee, called on local authorities yesterday to show responsibility for their mistake.

"We want to see sincerity from the authorities and that they take their own words seriously," Maseng said.

The Nation

Narathiwat