A former defence volunteer was killed in a gun attack in Sungai-Kolok district of the southernmost province of Narathiwat Monday morning.

Ruplee Asi, 33 years old, got shot in his head while he was riding his motorcycle back home.

According to the police investigation, when the former defence volunteer had stopped his motorcycle to remove a fallen tree on the road, an armed man emerged from road side and attacked him with 357mm pistol.

He died immediately at the scene and his body was transferred to a hospital for further autopsy.

The police said this incident could be attributed to personal conflict and insurgency.

The four southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Satun and Yala are the only majority Muslim provinces in predominantly Buddhist Thailand. The region has seen escalating violence since January 2004 that has already claimed more than 5,200 lives.