Gunfight left an officer in critical condition

Police Corporal Charin Saikeow was ambushed by a group of gunmen waiting for him along the backroad in Tambon Kota Baru in the district, police said.

The two sides traded gunshot for about five minutes before the culprits retreated.

Charin and fellow officers were returning to their station after inspecting a road accident in the district.

Ambush launched by Malay separatists has become a common occurrence in the deep South where am ongoing violence has claimed more than 3,400 people since January 2004.