A soldier walks past a train that was derailed by insurgents in Pattani province yesterday. The incident resulted in the suspension of rail services in the region.

Track bolts were pulled out and rails destroyed in about five locations in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat overnight, according to Thanongsak Phong-prasert, head of the State Railway's southern centre.

The train was en route from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Yala when it came off the tracks near Khok Pho's Na Pradu station at about 7am.

The SRT cancelled 24 train services in the three southernmost provinces until the lines were completely repaired and the situation was back to normal, Thanongsak said.

Trains from the upper part of the country terminated at Hat Yai Junction, he said.

Militants frequently sabotage trains and tracks in the deep South. An attack in April injured a score of passengers and halted services for days.

Yesterday's act of sabotage was the latest incident in ongoing violence that has rocked the predominantly Muslim region since January 2004. More than 2,000 people have been killed so far.

An ambush in Narathiwat's Si Sakhon district killed one policeman and injured two others as they escorted teachers to school at 8.30am yesterday.

Militants set off a bomb as the group passed the site and then opened fire.

There was a brief exchange of gunfire before the attackers retreated.

In Pattani's Khok Pho district a roadside bomb injured a police officer on patrol at about 8.30am yesterday.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters ended a five-day demonstration in Pattani's central mosque yesterday after reaching an agreement with authorities to set up a 50-member committee to investigate incidents of violence in the region in which local residents claim they have been denied justice.

The group began their protest on Friday. They also demanded the withdrawal of troops and an end to the curfew in the region.