A Chinese citizen who sold carpets in Thailand's restive deep south was killed on Sunday in the insurgent-violence-torn province Narathiwat, Chinese Consulate- general based in Thai south and local police confirmed with Xinhua on Monday.

The Chinese citizen, who held a valid tourist visa to Thailand, was indentified as Cai Wensheng, 56, from the city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province in eastern China.

Cai was shot in the head by assailants in Ra-Ngae district, Narathiwat province at around 2:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon and was confirmed dead after sent to hospital, Wu Yangyu, Chinese Consul- General based in Songkhla province in Thai south, told Xinhua, quoting local police.

The shooting happened after Cai Wensheng got out of a pick-up truck he rent in Thailand to sell carpets to locals at a nearby teashop, Cai Dayu, the victim's nephew who, as well as a Thai driver they hired, had accompanied Cai into the restive region, told local police.

Cai Dayu, 38, told police that he did not witness the shooting happen as he stayed in the pick-up waiting for his uncle until a Thai approached him, telling him that someone got shot, and asked him to escape.

Narathiwat police told Xinhua that four men riding on two motorcycles approached the victim outside the teashop and shot him before fleeing the scene on motorcycles.

The latest incident resembles the typical hit-and-run drive-by shootings that have frequently taken place in Thailand's three southernmost provinces -- Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani since a surge of insurgent violence resurrected in the region in early 2004.

Thai authorities have blamed southern Muslim seperatists for the violence, which has killed more than 3,000 people in the region. Security forces, officials, teachers, or just normal civilians have been frequently targeted. Foreigners were more rarely involved, but police believe southern insurgents have not targeted any foreign nationals as a particular group.

Sunday's incident was the fourth recorded attack in the region with Chinese citizen victims in nearly four years. Six Chinese citizens, all vendors from south or east China, have been injured or killed in three separate incidents during 2004-2006 in Narathiwat. They have travelled to the restive region to sell commodities, for example carpets used by local Muslims when praying,though Chinese embassy and consulates in Thailand have frequently warned Chinese not to travel or do business in the restive region if not necessary. 

(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2008)