Pol Lance-Corporal Somchai Khaisa and Pol Lance-Corporal Somkid Ruamthong were killed when a roadside bomb exploded in Narathiwat’s Sungai Padi district at around 8am.

The bomb, which was probably detonated by mobile phone, exploded while the officers were on patrol to provide protection to teachers.

Pol Lance-Corporal Wichit Maksho was seriously injured in the explosion.

Three soldiers were injured when another bomb exploded two-and-a-half hours later in the same district. They were Command Sgt-Major Chaiwat Pungchareon, Sergeant Nathaporn Sisathan and Sergeant Sirisak Poumkadam.

In neighbouring Yala province, a rubber plantation worker was shot dead while leaving a teashop. Klom Huaphet, 65, was most likely shot by militants because he had no conflicts with anyone, police said.

In the province’s Muang district, two separate bombs exploded at around noon but nobody was injured. One bomb caused minor damage to a pickup owned by Maso Mateh, chief of the Talo Haloh sub-district and a close acquaintance of Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, an adviser to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

In Pattani, a construction worker was shot dead at 6.45am while travelling to a work site in neighbouring Yala province. Police said Prasert Kongchuay was hit three times in the body.

At about 2.30pm in the same province, a soldier was injured in a gun attack while driving to Mai Kaen district.

Command Sgt-Major Surachai Muangprasert was shot in the face by a lone gunman on a motorcycle, but he managed to drive himself to Mai Kaen hospital for treatment.