One villager and a suspected militant were killed and two villagers wounded when shooting broke out in Narathiwat’s Si Sakhon district, police said.
The incident occurred at about 7.20pm Monday on the road in Aikureng village in tambon Si Banphot when three family members were returning home on two motorcycles after going hunting.
When entering the village, they were ambushed by a group of assailants hiding on the roadside, who fired at them with military-grade weapons.
Chokdee Wannaro, 30, one of the villagers, was shot and killed on the spot. The two others -- Wanchai Wannaro, 50, and his son Somporn Wannaro, 27 -- were also hit and wounded. The two, however, managed to return fire with shotguns.
One of the assailants was killed in the ensuing gunfight. He was identified later as Ahamad Hacha, 30. The other attackers fled.
Police believed the attack was the work of militants trying to create unrest.