A village head and his two female assistants were killed yesterday when a group of gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in Yala's Bannang Sata district, police said.
One of the female victims was beheaded and her head was recovered near the shooting scene.
The victims were found dead close to a Toyota pickup truck near a bridge in tambon Tanohputeh when police along with a bomb disposal unit arrived.
They were identified as Eah Srithong, 46, the village head, Chaliew Pikulklin, 49, and Urai Thapthongm 42, both assistant village heads.
The three victims were from Ban Kasangnai village.
According to police, they were on their way back from a meeting in Bannang Sata district when the attack took place. The pickup truck they were travelling in was severely damaged and riddled with bullets.
Found at the scene were a large number of 5.56mm bullets and leaflets. However, the content of the leaflets was not disclosed.
Police said the assailants also took the victims' guns and cash before fleeing.
The assailants are believed to be separatist insurgents.
In another attack, a female defence volunteer was gunned down by a gunman riding pillion on a motorcycle in Pattani's Nong Chik district yesterday afternoon, police said.
Praporn Kaewmaneerat, 51, was returning home on a motorcycle along the Pattani-Nong Chik road in tambon Tuyong when she was attacked by two men who had followed her on another motorcycle.