A deputy inspector in charge of crime suppression at Nong Chik police station in Pattani was shot and killed early Friday.
Pol Capt Kamnueng Suwanyuha and three subordinates — Pol L/C Navapon Kongsaman and defence volunteers Ibrohem Ramanset and Waehamarosol Waesae — were attacked while on patrol on the Pattani-Hat Yai road.
Police said their attackers — believed to be insurgents — hid at the side of the road and sprayed bullets at the police vehicle.
Pol Capt Kamnueng was killed by shots to his head, and the three others sustained injuries and were taken to nearby Nong Chik Hospital.
Police said officials collected 48 AK-47 shells from the scene.
An investigation is under way to find the perpetrators, officials said.
The bathing rite for the body of Pol Capt Kamnueng was held yesterday at Wat Tuyong in the district.
Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of the 4th Forward Command of the Internal Security Operations Command, expressed regret at the death of Pol Capt Kamnueng, saying the senior officer had performed his duties to the best of his ability to keep locals safe.
Col Pramote called on civil society groups and NGOs working in the area to condemn the violence, which he blamed on insurgents.
Meanwhile, in Bangkok, the southern peace negotiation team was gathering intelligence on insurgent groups, said the talks' leader and chief adviser to the army, Gen Aksara Kerdphol. They want to know how many groups there are, who commands them, who provides their weapons and how influential they are.
"The information will be verified and reported to Malaysia [the facilitator of the talks], which will invite representatives of insurgent groups to negotiations," he said.
Malaysia has its own list of insurgency groups, which will be compared with the Thai list, Gen Aksara said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed that dialogue partners must not start making demands because it could block progress at the talks, Gen Aksara added.
The order applied specifically to extreme demands that may lead to violence, he said.
Gen Aksara said he is hopeful negotiations will soon lead to an agreement and a roadmap containing action plans for the restoration of peace.
The main goal of the talks is to stop violent incidents which are hampering development for residents in the southern border provinces, he said.
“Our team will try to ensure the talks have a fruitful outcome,” he said, adding his duty is to represent Thailand, especially residents in the deep South.