A village chief and his assistant were shot dead while returning from a monthly meeting in Pattani's Yarang district early on Tuesday.
Pol Col Tuander Juthanant, the Yarang police chief, said the attack occurred about 1am on a road between Phongsata and Ton Thurian villages in tambon Yarang.
Khoya Palae, 55, chief of village No 1 in tambon Rawaeng, and Sama-ae Karo, 50, his assistant, were returning home in a pick-up truck. They were overtaken by men in another pick-up truck who opened fire at them with military assault rifles.
Khoya died on the spot. His assistant was seriously wounded and died later at Yarang Hospital.