NARATHIWAT: Two men on a motorcycle shot and killed a soldier as he returned to his base after playing football in Bacho district on Thursday evening.
Pol said Cpl Ekamarin Sriraksa, 24, was hit by six bullets when attacked along the Bacho-Ban Thon Road in Ban Dookoo Surao village in tambon Bareh Nuea about 6.30pm.
Police said Cpl Ekamarin had ridden his motorcycle alone from his base at Wat Urai Ratanaram to play football at the field of the Bacho tambon administration organisation.
On his way back to the base two men on another motorcycle approached him from behind. Witnesses said the pillion rider fired gunshots at him.
Officials who inspected the scene said the trail of blood showed the stricken soldier tried to run for life into a roadside forest but the gunman followed him and fired more shots, killing him. Cpl Akamarin was a native of Phitsanulok province in the North.
Police blamed separatist rebels.