Niphan Praphai, 35, and his wife, Srikanda, 32, died in hospital, while their 13-year-old son - who was sitting between them on the motorbike - survived the attack in Tambon Pulopuyo in Pattani's Nong Chik district.

In Narathiwat's Tambon Rusoh, a 2-kilogram bomb ripped through a small roadside restaurant, injuring four people. The bomb, set off by a digital watch, was placed in a box underneath a food table.

In Yala's Bannang Sata district, suspected insurgents attacked an outpost of a government-backed militia in Tambon Klern Banglang, injuring seven defence volunteers.

The tambon came into the spotlight earlier this month, when defence volunteers killed four unarmed Muslim youths and injured six others. The district also witnessed an incident on Tuesday, when gunmen fired at three migrant workers from the Northeast while they were riding their motorbikes. All three survived.

Meanwhile, the former field commander of the now-defunct Communist Party of Malaya, Boonchai Sae-ung, called on the security forces to improve their intelligence by building up a network of informants.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin had informed him additional troops were needed in the deep South.

Lt-General Chethanakorn Neephithaphat, commissioner of the Ninth Police Region, also said yesterday that an additional 1,161 newly graduated officers would be dispatched throughout the 37 districts in the deep South.

The Nation

Pattani