The arrests on Thursday came just hours before five policemen and a civilian were shot and three other police injured in three separate attacks in Pattani, one of the five Muslim-majority provinces bordering Malaysia.

Three Thai Muslims were arrested in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima after police intercepted their pick-up truck, which was travelling from the border province of Sa Kaoew to the south, police said.

Police searched the vehicle and the residence of a fourth suspect and found 25 Kalashnikov AK-47 machineguns, one M-79, 1,500 bullets and 10 bullet casings.

Investigators said the suspects confessed only that they were hired to transport the arms from the Thai-Cambodian border to the south, but denied they had any links with Thursday's shootings.

Police said they rejected the four men's claims that the arms were destined to be shipped to a third country.

WAR.WIRE