Violence in Thailand's deep south claimed two more victims Sunday as an unidentified gunman shot dead a village defense volunteer in Pattani province and a soldier was slightly wounded in a militant bombing in Yala province.

The dead man was identified as Sarawut Gotan, 38. A rubber tapper, he was shot while riding his motorcycle with his wife after finishing his early morning rubber tapping rounds, the Thai News Agency reported.

Leaving the plantation, they were followed by two men on a motorcycle. One of them fired two shots at Sarawut, who died at the scene, while his wife was unharmed.

The incident took place less than an hour after one soldier received a facial wound when a bomb hidden under a rubbish bin was detonated by cell phone in Yala's Raman district.

More than 1,200 people have lost their lives in almost daily shootings, bombings and arson attacks in the southernmost strip of Thailand after it was flared up in January 2004.

Source: Xinhua