Two Chinese businessmen, father and son, were attacked by unidentified gunmen in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat Tuesday afternoon, causing the 19-year-old son dead at the scene, Thai southern military source told Xinhua.

Initiative investigation by local police said a Chinese father, Wu Wenlong, and his son , Wu Zhuobin, were delivering clothes goods when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen at about 3:30 PM (08:30 GMT) in Narathiwata's Ba Cho district.

Wu Zhuobin was dead at the scene and his 47-year-old father was severely injured. Wu Wenlong has been sent to the nearby hospital, the source said.

The two Chinese were riding a Honda motorcycle with a license issued by Thai northern province of Pha Yao when being gunned by a group of attackers who shot five bullets with a 11 MM assault rifles, the source said.

China's consulate to Thai southern Songkhla province has confirmed the two victims are businessmen from Guangdong Province of China.

Thai southern police told Xinhua that they believe that the shooting was the work of insurgents active in the area.

At least 1,200 people have been killed since unrest broke out in January 2004 in the southern provinces along Thailand's border with Malaysia. Authorities and experts blame the violence on a complex web of Islamic separatists, local corruption and organized crime.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2006)