A villager was shot and killed in an ambush in Pattani’s Kapo district early Tuesday morning, Pol Lt Naphat Onwong, duty officer at Kapo police station, said.

The victim was identified as Waesamaair Sama-air, 58, resident of tambon Plong Hoi of Kapo district.

Witnesses told police that Waesama-air was travelling in his pickup truck on a local road at Ban Muelor in tambon Plong Hoi when gunmen hiding in roadside forest fired on him with assault rifles. The assailants then fled.

The victim took several bullets in his torso and died in the driver's seat on the spot.

Police were investigating.