A villager was shot dead yesterday in Yala while several others, including seven monks, had a narrow escape as a home-made bomb failed to detonate properly in Narathiwat, police said.

Prasert Puprasertsant, 30, was found in a pool of blood on a road in Bannang Sata district yesterday morning. He had been shot four times in the back by a gunman riding pillion on a motorcycle. He died on the way to hospital.

In Narathiwat's Si Sakhon district, seven monks collecting alms and a number of others nearby were unharmed when a home-made bomb failed to explode.

Praneet Kaewpitak, 43, the owner of a food shop and her customers were about to give food to the monks when they heard a loud thud and saw smoke coming from a plant pot in front of the shop.

Mrs Praneet alerted the police after hearing a second thud and when the smoke became thicker.

Police found a bomb made of ammonium nitrate and dynamite weighing 5kg in a food container. A ! mobile phone had been used to try to detonate it.

The monks, including Phra Khru Palat Phumpat, the abbot of Wart Si Sakhon, were being escorted by four soldiers.

In Pattani, a gunman shot at a maths teacher at a school in Muang district.

Sawat Jiahkhong, 48, of Pattana Islam school, was found in a state of shock in his car after it had been raked with bullets.

Mr Sawat was parking his car in the school compound when the motorcycle gunman started shooting at him. He was unhurt in the attack.

Meanwhile, deputy interior minister Sutham Saengprathum said yesterday the Interior Ministry and the Education Ministry are working on a manual for the running of tadikas and ponohs.

Tadikas come under the supervision of the Interior Ministry and ponohs under Education Ministry oversight. However, applications for licences to run ponoh schools are considered by the Interior Ministry.