Bangkok  - Thai thieves killed one man and severely bludgeoned another in a daring midnight duck heist in Ayuthaya province that netted 1,600 fowl, news reports said Wednesday.

Duck herders Kampaeng Saengchan, 58, and Montri Suebjabok, 48, were attacked by unknown assailants at midnight Monday as they kept vigil over the 1,600 birds in Nakorn Luang district of Ayuthaya province, 90 kilometres north of Bangkok, police said.

The duck rustlers tied up both men and beat them severely, killing Kampaeng and leaving Montri with head injuries and both arms broken.

Montri told police that an unidentified woman had approached them Monday asking to buy the ducks, but they told her the poultry did not belong to them, reported the Bangkok Post.

At midnight Montri was awoken by a flurry of blows delivered by three men. He survived the attack by pretending to be dead as the thieves took off with the ducks.

Wichan Sriam, the owner of the pilfered birds, told police that this was the second poultry theft he had suffered this month.

He said in mid-December 500 ducks had been stolen from his farm. Authorities have recorded a steep rise in thefts and burglaries since Thailand's economy started to slow down two months ago in response to the US financial crisis. (dpa)