The man's wife was the only survivor from the attack, despite serious injuries caused by machete chops to her body.

The woman, who identified herself as Makhlin, said one of the attackers stopped chopping her after she fell to the ground and faked death.

She said she was too wounded to save her daughters, aged two and eight. Their throats were slashed by one attacker with a long knife.

Her husband, Lai, was earlier shot dead by the other man with a handgun.

The family were legal immigrants registered to a rubber plantation owner, Lorkong SaeLor, but Lai was working for another owner known merely as Phin.

Police said the couple had no conflicts with fellow Burmese workers or Thai people, and

speculated that the attack was intended to terrorise plantation owners in exchange for protection fees.