A 70-year-old Buddhist rubber farmhand was shot and burned by suspected Islamic militants as he drove his motorbike home from a market in Narathiwat's Rusoh district yesterday.

The incident happened days after a similar attack in Yala.

Meanwhile, the railway service on the Narathiwat-Sungai Kolok route has been suspended after suspected insurgents shot at a train on Saturday.

However, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said he still intended to visit the South on Friday as planned.

Suspected militants shot Thongmee Maiman three times in the head and torso before setting his body on fire and taking his motorcycle. Passers-by were able to prevent the corpse from being badly burned, police said.

On Wednesday, Patcharaporn Boonmart, a 26-year-old Buddhist woman, was shot and burned beyond recognition in Yala province while Council for National Security chairman Sonthi Boonyaratglin was in the region.

About 200 angry villagers paraded her remains through the streets of Yala town to demand that Sonthi, who is also the army chief, put an end to the unrelenting bloodshed in the South.

Meanwhile, government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp yesterday denied a news report that Surayud would visit Yala today  to attend her funeral and cremation. He said the PM would visit the region on Friday.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) public relations chief Monthakan Sriwilat said the stoppage of the Narathiwat-Sungai Kolok service would last for at least two days, yesterday and today.  A service will be provided only to and from Yala. Passengers who had booked tickets can get refunds at Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station.

Because of the railway service suspension, passengers have turned to hiring two-row passenger trucks that usually provide services between districts and provinces.

Since yesterday morning, there were were not enough trucks to meet demand, especially for those who wanted to go to Malaysia.

On Saturday, gunmen shot at a train between Yala and Sungai Kolok, injuring two people.