Two men were shot and critically injured in a drive-by shooting in Rueso district of Narathiwat early Saturday morning, police said.
They were identified as Abdulasi Sudeng, 35, and Marorpiyee Jehloh, 30, both residents of Rueso district.
Pol Lt Wanchai Rakboonmuang, an investigator at Rueso police station, said the shooting occurred about 2.45am on the Tha Rua-Kotabaru road at Ban Blukahulu in tambon Batong.
Witnesses told police that the two villagers were travelling on a motorcycle when a gunman riding pillion on another motorbike fired on them with an M16 assault rifle. The assailants then fled.
Abdulasi took one bullet in his right shoulder and Marorpiyee was shot in his right shoulder, arm and leg. They were taken to Rueso hospital.
The conflict monitoring group Deep South Watch said that so far this year, 240 people have been killed and nearly 460 wounded in about 800 separate attacks in the border provinces.