Violence has intensified over the past week with terrorists resorting to beheading Buddhists and threatening Muslims as well as planting bombs inside motorcycles and cars. Security officials also found weapons being moved in Narathiwat’s Yi-ngor district and the border areas.

Pattani Governor Cherdpan na Songkhla said he instructed the state agencies under him to inspect all vehicles parked at state buildings and to keep records of everyone who contacts government departments.

In Yala’s Raman district, Arwae Wae-itae, 37, a defence village volunteer was killed after two insurgents beat him around the head with a stick on Wednesday night. The insurgents also stole a gun and bullets that belonged to the state.

Arwae was heading to a school he was supposed to patrol when he was attacked at an intersection about 300 metres away, police said.

In Narathiwat’s Waeng district, villagers reported a suspected bomb planted near a bridge in Tambon Mae Dong. Bomb experts found it to be a fake and believe it was planted by terrorists to spread fear.

In Narathiwat’s Rusoh district, a 3kg home-made bomb exploded near a bridge while a police patrol was escorting teachers from Ban Lamoh School. No one was injured.

In the same district, insurgents sprayed bullets into a restaurant owned by a policeman while he was on duty at a police station. No one was injured. In Pattani’s Yaring district, a 74-year-old court guarantor was shot in the thigh while on his motorcycle.