Soldiers examine a motorcycle at a village in Bannang Sata district, Yala, after an explosion wounded four troops. The bomb went off as soldiers examined a public telephone booth set on fire earlier.
The army is optimistic the southern violence will ease after the tsunami also hit Aceh separatists which they believe support Thai militants.
Army chief Pravit Wongsuvan said members of the Free Aceh Movement, or GAM, were among victims of the big waves which hit Indonesia's Aceh province on Dec 26.
GAM had called a temporary cease-fire while international relief workers help Indonesians on Sumatra island. That could also help Thailand, by limiting ''outside factors'' involved in the southern violence.
Security officers believe GAM has trained Thai separatists, here and in Aceh.
Intelligence officers were looking into the impact of the tidal waves on GAM, he said. The violence continued yesterday, however, with two people shot dead.
One victim was Somsak Rakchart, assistant district chief of Krong Pinang sub-district of Yala. Two gunmen followed him on a motorbike on his way home in Thepha district of Songkhla province before opening fire, said Pol Col Uthai Thipsaepha, deputy chief of tambon Huay Pling station.
In Narathiwat's Sungai Padi district, Napi Salaemae, a former defence volunteer and former assistant village chief, was killed after an assailant shot him four times while he was having breakfast at a food shop.
Navi Dolo, the shop owner, said two men arrived at the shop and the pillion rider walked in pretending to buy a packet of cigarettes.
The man walked to the table and fired four shots at Napi with a .38 pistol, hitting him in the head and body. Napi died instantly. The attacker fled on the waiting motorcycle.
In the neighbouring district of Sungai Kolok, a tourist police car left inside a garage for repairs was set on fire and destroyed early yesterday, while in Yala province, a public telephone booth on Yala-Betong road in Bannang Sata district was set on fire, wounding four soldiers.
Police said the arsonists placed a bag soaked with petrol in the telephone booth and set fire to it.
When soldiers arrived at the scene, a bomb planted about 30m away went off, triggered by remote control, police said. Four soldiers were hurt.
Region 9 Police believe Muslim militants met yesterday at the house of Che Kumae Kute, chairman of the Mujahideen Islam Pattani, in northern Malaysia. They met to plan major incidents in the southern border provinces. Security has been stepped up at government offices following the report.