Suspected Islamic militants decapitated a local government worker and left his head in a fertilizer bag on a roadside in Thailand's restive Muslim-majority south, local police said Wednesday.

Volunteers who helped security forces defend southern villages early Wednesday found the head of Anek Ngernmool, 31, on the side of an unfinished road in Lipasango village of Pattani province, the Thai TV Channel 7 quoted a local policeman as saying.

Anek had been reported missing late Tuesday. He had worked for the local government collecting garbage fees, the TV report said.

Police said they had not found a note or any other messages with his body.

Anek is the 15th Buddhist man to be beheaded by suspected insurgents since early 2004.

More than 1,000 people have died since unrest broke out in January 2004 in Muslim-majority provinces along Thailand's border with Malaysia.

Source: Xinhua