A village chief in Pattani's Thung Yang Daeng district was seriously injured by a gunman on Monday night, police said.
Pol Lt Panlop Promkaew, the duty officer at the district police station, said Romli Taya, 47, the chief of Moo 1 village in tambon Talo Maena, was travelling by motorcycle to a shop to buy rubber wood he was shot by an attacker hiding in bushes opposite the shop.
Mr Romli was hit many times in the body and seriously wounded. He was admitted to Yala Hospital.
Police were investigating.