YALA - SIX Muslim men have been killed and eight soldiers injured in suspected rebel attacks in Thailand's restive south, police said Monday, as the army-appointed premier toured the region.

The spate of shootings began on Sunday, when two Muslims who worked for local government were killed in Yala province and another man was shot dead in front of his house in Narathiwat province, regional police said.

Violence continued as Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont headed to the insurgency-hit region Monday morning, with three Muslims shot dead in separate attacks in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.

Local police said the blast was detonated by mobile phone, and prompted a five-minute gunfight between separatists and troops.

Gen Surayud travelled to Yala to check on government projects, and reassured the local community that authorities were doing all they could to tackle the separatist insurgency, which has killed more than 2,800 people in four years.

'Whenever it happens, we will arrest the wrongdoers,' he said. 'The most important thing is the authorities have to keep carrying out the policies.'

Gen Surayud and the junta that installed him have repeatedly vowed to battle the rebellion raging in the Muslim-majority region near Malaysia, but instead have seen killings grow more frequent and brutal.

A new Thai parliament will convene on Monday, bringing to power a government with links to the ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose heavy-handed tactics were blamed for exacerbating the southern conflict. -- AFP