Police said Fadruddin Boto, 52, a caretaker senator of Narathiwat, was shot once on his right cheek at about 6:40 am while he was riding motorcycle home in Rangae district.

He was initially rushed to the district hospital but later passed on to the Narathiwat provincial hospital.

Pol Lt Thanat Upahard of Rangae district police station said eyewitnesses saw two men on a motorcycle trail after Fadruddin and one of them pulled out his 11-mm pistol and fired one shot at the senator.

The senator apparently noticed gunman through his motorcycle's side mirrors and tried to avoid the shot but the bullet his right cheek sending him down.

The gunmen apparently tried to approach him to fire at him more but the area was crowed so they fled on their motorcycle.

Police said the senator might be a latest victim of the terrorist terror campaign but they would not rule out personal conflicts.

Police said the senator owns the Darusalam School and has recently fired 20 girl students 70 boy students from the school for conducting improper behaviours.

Police said some parents might be angry over the dismissal of their children.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the attack against the caretaker senator was a proof that the government had failed in its southern policy.

But Narathiwat governor Pracha Terat said he believed the shooting had not been carried out by Muslim militants but it was motivated by conflicts related to the caretaker senator's school.

The Nation