BANGKOK, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thai Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday expressed his concern over the suspected insurgent shooting of an outgoing senator in Thai deep south Sunday morning, saying that resolving violence in the nation's deep South is an uphill task.

    Fakrutdin Bodo, the 52-year-old caretaker senator of Narathiwat province, was shot injured near a market in Ra-ngae district on Sunday morning while he was riding a motorcycle.

    Thaksin said the violence in the deep south is basically connected to extremist groups and stems from complicated factors including politics, "dark influences" and drugs, so it is hard to be solved.

    "It's a complicated problem and a difficult task to be resolved," he said.

    Responding to Defense Minister Thammarak Isarangura Na Ayutthaya's suggestion that the state authorities should retaliate against insurgents with similar actions, Thaksin said that "punishing the wrongdoers must be done at the same time when understanding among local communities is created."

    At least 1,300 people have been killed since unrest broke out in January 2004 in the southern provinces along Thailand's border with Malaysia. Enditem