NARATHIWAT: A police officer was severely wounded and a passing civilian killed in an ambush in Sungai Kolok district, Narathiwat province, late on Monday night.
Concealed gunmen opened fire from the roadside as the officer rode passed on his motorcycle in tambon Pasemat around 9.55pm. A man passing through the area on a motorcycle at the same time was also shot.
The ambush was set near the entrance to a police outpost at Ban Kawa Lorseera.
Pol Sgt Muhammad Faisal Mayakor, 29, was shot in the left leg and fell from his bike. He also suffered broken bones and abrasions.
Muhadma Fa-is Jaekor, 23, was hit in the stomach and died shortly afterwards in hospital, Thai media reported.
Police, soldiers and a bomb disposal team inspected the scene on Tuesday. They found nine spent M16 cartridges.
Pol Col Supakorn Puengrot, chief of Sungai Kolok police, blamed the attack on insurgents and sid it was well-planned. There were two teams - one fired the shots and the other scattered nail spikes on the road to deter pursuit.
Pol Sgt Muhummad Faisal drove out of the outpost and was heading to downtown Sungai Kolok when he was attacked.
Mr Muhadma Fa-is, a cook, was returning home in the opposite direction and was caught in the gunfire, Pol Col Supakorn said.