Schools were targeted in attacks in January

The police instructor died after his throat was slashed in Sunday's raid in Yala province, police captain Sunand Sangsawat said on Tuesday.

Mr Sunand also said a Buddhist temple in a nearby Narathiwat province was damaged in a separate attack on Monday.

The string of recent attacks in the area have been blamed by Thai officials on both Muslim separatists and bandits.

The government in Bangkok has pledged a tough action to end attacks against government targets and also Buddhist monks, three of whom were hacked to death in recent weeks.

SOUTHERN THAILAND Home to most of Thailand's 4% Muslim minority Muslim rebels fought the government up to the mid-80s Area beset by poverty and poor relations between local communities and officials Thailand wakes to separatist threat

More than 1,000 schools were closed after the violence, which has left Thailand's Muslim-dominated south tense.

The schools were due to reopen later on Tuesday, but some teachers and students - still terrified by death threats against them - refused to go back to classes.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said the recent attacks were meant to instil fear among local residents.