A motorist was shot dead on Saturday afternoon at a filling station in Pattani.
The victim was identified as Narudom Thabngern, 48, a resident of Sukirin district of Narathiwat province, said said Pol Col Arsis Usmayee, chief of Saiburi police station.
Witnesses told police that Mr Narudom and his wife were heading home in their pickup truck from Pattani to Narathiwat. Mr Narudom noticed they were low on fuel and stopped at a fuel shop at Ban Karubee in tambon Trohbon of Saiburi district.
While Mr Narudom waited for his tank to be filled, a gunman arrived on a motorcycle, fired at his head at close range with a handgun. The attacker then fled.
Mr Narudom died instantly in the driver's seat of his truck.
Police blamed separatist militants.