Rubber tapper Chatchai Saethong, 55, was killed at 6.30am while travelling to work on a motorcycle in Yaha’s tambon Baroh. Police found some spent 9mm bullet cartridges at the scene and put the shooting down to the ongoing unrest in the region.

At 6.40am, Muang district police learned that Wang Phraya Camp’s paramilitary ranger volunteer Anas Damusor, 26, had been shot dead in tambon Sateng Nok. Police collected seven spent AK-47 bullet cartridges at the scene, located some 500 metres from his home. Police believe the killing might be related to the insurgency or personal conflict.

Meanwhile, Pattani electricity authority official Suthat Kraiwan, 50, was shot dead by two gunmen in front of his five colleagues while putting up power poles in Pattani’s Yarang district yesterday afternoon. The M16-rifle toting gunmen were on a motorcycle.