Three people were killed in separate shootings by suspected Muslim insurgents in the deep South Monday.
The attacks followed the killing of four villagers in Narathiwat's Sukhirin district on Sunday evening.
The first incident occurred in Yala's Yaha district on Monday morning. A couple were travelling on motorcycle to tap latex at their plantation in Moo 5 village in tambon Baroh when an unknown number of gunmen hiding in roadside bushes fired about a dozen rounds from HK rifles. The slain couple were identified as Baraheng Larvae and his wife Maliwan Daeboh.
In Narathiwat's Rueso district, Anurak Sarae, 52, a physician for tambon Rueso's public health office was shot dead while riding a motorcycle on a village road. Police said a gunman riding pillion on another motorcycle fired eight shots from a 9mm pistol, killing Anurak on the spot.
Police blamed the two shootings on southern separatists, as intelligence reports said they would launch attacks on Buddhists during the Songkran holiday.
Meanwhile, police inspected two houses at Norm Klao village in Sukhirin district of Narathiwat, where suspected insurgents shot dead a couple, a mother and her son.
The double murder occurred about 6pm on Sunday but police did not inspect the crime scenes immediately as they feared militants might ambush them.
Police said the killings were carried out simultaneously by two groups of suspected militants armed with M16 rifles. There were at least six attackers. The first group raided a house belonging to Joon In-erba and his wife Dam, killed them and set fire to their bodies and the house.
Another group shot dead Aree Rattana and her son Somnuak at another house only 20 metres from the couple's house but did not burn their bodies.