His tearful wife Urai Sri-ngernthom, said they were sleeping when an unknown number of gunmen broke into their house and opened fire at Somnuek - before setting fire to the house.

Despite being wounded, Somnuek helped her get out of the house, but he didn't make it, she said.

Police found two bullet casings at the scene and a leaflet saying: "You killed our innocent people. We'll kill your innocent people too." 

Such leaflets are often found next to decapitated bodies in the deep South.

In Muang district of the same province, two gunmen shot Sompong Chulabutr, 57, a security official at Limkoneao Shrine, who was riding his motorbike to work.

Also in Pattani, a bomb exploded at a roadside pavilion in Kok Pho district, but no one was injured. Police believe Muslim militants were behind all the attacks.

The attacks came after a series of co-ordinated bombings at 22 commercial banks in Yala, which killed one and injured 24 others.

Suspected Muslim insurgents disguised in school uniforms placed bombs hidden in thick books or folders inside the banks.

Meanwhile, officials probing the recent bombings of banks in Yala said yesterday they have found a shop that made these folders, whose owner said that there had been an order for 27. The Nation

Pattani