Eight soldiers were killed by roadside bomb in the restive Thai south early this morning, an army spokesman said.

Two bomb disposal policemen were killed and nine other people wounded in a blast in the Thai south on Saturday after warnings of New Year violence in the restive region, the police said.

The bomb — the second in Narathiwat province in four days — went off in front of a stall, killing a 50-year-old police officer. The second victim, whose age is unknown, died in hospital after suffering a shrapnel wound.

Suspected Islamic militants shot two rangers dead in Thailand's restive south on Thursday as the country unveiled plans to revoke a state of emergency in part of the troubled region.