Two soldiers were blown off their motorcycle by a remote controlled bomb and savagely shot dead by suspected militants, while four policemen were injured in another incident in Narathiwat on Sunday.
Pol Lt Somboono Sakhon, a duty officer at Ra-ngae police station, said police received a report of an attack in tambon Bo-ngor in Narathiwat's Ra-ngae district.
After a team of police and a bomb disposal unit arrived at the scene, they found two field soldiers lying in a pool of blood next to a damaged motorcycle. Their bodies were riddled with bullets.
The two field soldiers were named as Sophon Mohsom and Kongkiat Kandee.
Two field soldiers are shot dead by suspected militants on Sunday in Narathiwat province. (Photo by Waedao Harai)
About 20 metres from the bodies, police found a two-foot deep crater caused by a bomb weighing about 10 kilogrammes.
More than 20 spent shell casings were found on the road.
Investigators said it appeared the gunmen detonated the bomb when the two soldiers passed by. They then approached the two injured officers and fired on them.
The attackers then stole M16 and AK rifles from the soldiers and fled.
In Narathiwat's Cho Airong district on Sunday morning, four policemen from a bomb disposal unit were slightly injured when a pickup truck they were travelling in was struck by a landmine.
Police said the unit led by Pol Col Prachuap Nimruang was on the way back to Narathiwat town when the bomb, weighing about 25kg, planted on Yaning-Marubo road in tambon Marubo Ok, was detonated remotely with a radio.
The unit was returning to Narathiwat after examining the site of an explosion in tambon Paluru in Sungai Padi district at about 8.20pm last night.
Pol Sr Sgt-Maj Somporn Ruangnoi, Pol Sgt Thanapitak Somchai, Pol Sgt Thirasak Kongkham and Pol Cpl Montri Kaewprasit sufferred minor injuries. They were admitted to Cho Airong Hospital. Their vehicle was partly damaged.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra left for Yala on Sunday morning to visit wounded officials and troops.
Ms Yingluck was accompanied by PM's secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva, Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong, Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanathabutr, police chief Adul Saengsingkaew and army chief-of-staff Udomdej Sitabutr.
The prime minister was also scheduled to listen to a situation briefing from the governors of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla.
She would then go to Wat Phramahathat Voramahaviharn in Nakhon Si Thammarat to attended the bathing rite for Issara Thongthawat, the Yala deputy governor who was killed in a bomb explosion on Friday.