Thailand is worried the border is too porous

A string of attacks have been carried out on police, government officials and even Buddhist monks in the Muslim-majority provinces.

The government has sent mixed signals over who it believes is responsible, blaming both separatists and bandits.

It fears the perpetrators may be hiding in Malaysia, though Malaysia denies it.

"I have instructed the Thai Supreme Command (military) to build a fence at sensitive points, not along the whole demarcation line," Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said after a meeting with Muslim leaders on Tuesday.

He added that it would cost about 2m baht ($51,000) per kilometre to build.

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

Thai officials have said they believe those responsible may include separatists with dual Thai-Malaysian citizenship who cross the porous border at will.

But the spiritual leader of Thailand's Muslims, Chulatattamontri Sawas Sumalayasak, said after meeting Mr Thaksin on Tuesday that he believed smuggling gangs, and not separatists, were behind the recent violence.

"People who are responsible for this unrest are people who have lost their business benefits, not Muslims," he said.

In the latest attacks, two Telephone Organization of Thailand employees were shot dead by motorcycle gunmen on Saturday in Narathiwat province and a deputy village headman in the same area was slashed on Sunday morning, receiving serious injuries.

In neighbouring Yala province, a deputy village headman was shot dead on Saturday night and a border patrol policeman was gunned down in Pattani province. He survived and is being treated in hospital.

Mr Thaksin said he was determined to bring "lasting security and stability'' within three years, adding that all police officers assigned to that area must remain there throughout that period.