NARATHIWAT - Two men riding on a motorcycle attacked a pickup truck carrying seven students to Rueso Kindergarten school in Rueso district on Thursday morning, police said.
Pol Col Anothai Jindamanee, superintendent of Ruso police station, said police received a report of the shooting about 7.30am.
Mayeeda Lameng, a 45-year-old villager who witnessed the attack, told investigators that the man riding pillion on the motorcycle opened fire at the pickup truck's driver.
The driver was named as Pannawat Tohfai, aged 38. He was hit three times, in the head and upper body, with bullets from an 11mm calibre handgun and died on the spot.
Mr Mayeeda said the shooting happened in full view of the seven students, who were seated in the back of the vehicle. All the children were safe.
Police blamed insurgents.
The attack occurred a day after after more than 700 teachers in the deep South took an oath not to abandon their students in the restive border region at a ceremony in Narathiwat to mark Teachers' Day.
Earlier reports said a school bus carrying three students had been attacked and the driver killed.