NARATHIWAT - A former ranger was shot dead and his wife injured in an attack in Rue So district of Narathiwat on Friday evening, police said.
Assailants riding on a motorcycle shot Ussamandee Avareniya, 24, once in the head with a 9mm pistol. His wife Ilharm Jamor, 19, was struck on the finger of her right hand.
The couple were travelling on a motorcycle to visit Mrs Ilharm's relatives in Ban Tanyong Limo in the district, according to Pol Lt Srithanon Samlee, the duty officer at the Rue So station.
An initial investigation found that two attackers had followed the couple from their house and fled after shooting them.
Police suspected personal conflicts were behind the shootings but did not rule out a link to the southern insurgency.
All districts of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, and five districts of Songkhla are under a ceasefire reached between Thailand and the Barison Revolusi Nasional for the holy month of Ramadan. The ceasefire began on July 10 will end on Aug 18, ten days after the end of Ramadan.