A village health volunteer was killed in a drive-by shooting in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district early on Tuesday morning, police said.

Pol Lt Kaweepat Kraiperm, duty officer at Cho Airong police station, received a report of an attack on Sungai Padi-Cho Airong road at Ban Sormong of Cho Airong about 6am. He led police and soldiers to inspect the scene.

Police found five spent cartridge shells from a 9mm handgun on the spot and were told that an injured woman had been taken to Cho Airong hospital.

The victim was identified as Suena Seng, 44, a health volunteer at Ban Aye Payae. She was hit by three bullets -  in the head, right shoulder and torso.

The victim's husband, Sama-air Seng, 49,  told police that he, his wife and another woman were travelling along the road to work at their rubber plantation when a gunman riding pillion on another motorcycle fired on Mrs Suena. The attackers then fled.

Mrs Suena and the woman passenger fell from the motorcycle but Mr Sama-air managed to escape unhurt. The woman passenger was also unhurt in the attack.

After the assailants fled, Mr Sama-air returned to the spot and asked the driver of a passing pickup truck to help take his wife to Cho Airong hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Police blamed separatist militants.