July 12, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1428

NARATHIWAT (Thailand), July 11: Suspected separatists shot dead a government official and three other people in Thailand’s south as the country’s premier began a two-day visit to the region on Wednesday.

A 33-year-old Muslim village chief was killed on Tuesday evening in Narathiwat province after separatists opened fire on his vehicle as he drove a truck full of football players home from a match, police said.

In Yala province the same evening, a 48-year-old Buddhist man, a provincial official from the environment ministry, was shot dead in his car, police told AFP.

Early on Wednesday, a 42-year-old Muslim man was shot dead at his rubber plantation in Narathiwat, while a Buddhist man, also 42, was killed in a drive-by shooting in the same province, police said.

The attacks came as Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont flew into Narathiwat early on Wednesday.

Surayud met teachers before heading to Yala and Pattani to assess a recent round-up, in which more than 300 suspected rebels were detained by the military and police.

Speaking with reporters at an army base in Pattani, Surayud vowed to stick to his policy of reconciliation and talks with rebel leaders.

“Now violence is decreasing and is concentrated only in limited areas, indicating that we are on the right track,” he said.

Surayud is due to fly back to Bangkok on Thursday evening.—AFP