Director of Ban Bado Elementary School, Chamnong Chupatpong and Manoe Sonkaew, a teacher at the school, were driving a pickup truck when four suspected militants on motorbikes drove up and shot them at close range/

Their bodies were dragged on the small paved road, about 20 metres from the truck, and soak with gasoline before setting them on fire.

The incident took place in Yala's Tambon Yupo.

 Spikes were placed on the road leading to the crime scene to slow down the officials who were heading to the scene, officials said. At least fourteen casing of 9mm, believed to have been fired by the culprits, were found at the crime scene.

Two female teachers from the school were seen embracing the charred colleague as they crying perfusiously when authorities arrived at the scene.

Police chief Yala's Muang district, Pol Colonel Phumiphet Phiphatphetpum, ordered the area sealed off and all connecting roads checked as security carry out man hunt for the culprits.

Somart Suwanthawi, deputy director of Education District One in Yala, described the incident as "the most brutal I have ever witness since 2005," a time when a growing number of teachers were being targeted by militants in the region.

"When we arrived at the scene we saw something that was just so unthinkable," said Somart, referring tot he tow corps.

Somart said the attacked were carried out just metres away form residential area but added that the villagers were too afraid to come out and do anything.

"During the time of the attack, none of the villagers came out to help. They all closed their doors and windows hide inside their home," a frustrated Somart said.

"We have to accept the fact that the villagers are very scared. This has forced them to stay away from these kinds of incidents," he said.

   In a separate incident, village defence volunteer, Komhem Yakae, was ambushed and shot to death by at least three gunmen on motorbikes in Narathiwat province, police said.

Driveby shootings and bombings occur almost daily in Thailand's three southernmost Muslimmajority provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.

More than 1,900 people have been killed, mostly Muslims, since January 2004.

Suspected insurgents target people regarded as collaborators with the government as well as soldiers and police. More than 50 Buddhist and Muslim teachers, viewed as symbols of government authority, have also been killed.

Despite reconciliatory gestures from the government, violence continued unabated in the restive region.

by Nakarin Chinnawomkomol

The Nation