The 4th Army is stepping up security in the deep South following a series of gun attacks on residents in the restive region.
The extra-tight security follows a shooting early yesterday morning in Yala's Bannang Sata district in which five men were killed.
Last Thursday, four residents of Narathiwat's Sukhirin district were gunned down as they panned for gold at a canal near the Sai Buri River.
Lt Gen Wanlop Thitikul, deputy commander of the 4th Army, said he had ordered all units to intensify security operations to prevent violence during the last 10 days of the fasting month of Ramadan.
He said officials are also in talks with local communities in Bannang Sata and Sukhirin to make clear that state officials had nothing to do with the violence.
Lt Gen Jatuporn Klamphasut, commander of Pattani Task Force, said all security units have been told to coordinate closely with community leaders to provide security for locals.
He said he has stressed that they must do their best to prevent a similar massacre in Pattani.
Meanwhile, police in Yala are speeding up their investigation into the killings and suspect they were motivated by a personal feud, said Pol Col Kritsana Pattanacharoen, deputy police spokesman.
The mass shooting took place shortly after midnight in tambon Tanohputeh at the home of Ibroheng Museh, 32, who was with four other men when a group of masked gunmen walked in on them and opened fire.
Ibroheng was shot dead, along with his cousin Ahmah Museh, 33, and neighbours Aranchai Doheh, 26, Usman Yusoh, 39, and Furagon Laso, 25.
Pol Col Kritsana said the victims were allegedly involved in illicit drugs which could be the motive for the attack. However, he said police have not ruled out other possibilities.
According to Pol Col Kritsana, the attackers apparently used two types of firearms -- a shotgun and an M16 rifle -- after officers found the spent casings at the scene.
Each of the victims had gunshot wounds to the head and the torso and the bullets were retrieved from their bodies for further examination, he said.
Based on an initial investigation, four attackers, wearing masks, arrived at the house on two motorcycles. Two of them walked in on the five men and shot them dead.
The victims reportedly gathered at the house regularly at night after fasting during Ramadan.