BANGKOK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A border patrol policeman was shot dead and another injured in Thai southern province of Yala before Tuesday noon, military source told Xinhua.

    Both the policemen were on patrol duty by motorcycles beside a market in Krong Srirang district of Yala province when unidentified gunmen shot to them at about 11:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT), the source said.

    One of the policemen was dead at the scene and the other injured one was sent to nearby hospital.

    Just on Monday, responding to escalating violence in Thailand's Muslim-majority southern border provinces as represented by last Friday's teacher hostage incident in Narathiwat, Thai caretaker Deputy Prime Minister proposed four new short-term measures to address the problem.

    At least 1,200 people have been killed since unrest broke out in January 2004 in mainly Muslim provinces along Thailand's border with Malaysia. The violence was blamed on a complex web of Islamic separatists, local corruption and organized crime. Enditem