One killed, many hurt in two bombing incidents in Southern Thailand

An officer with a bomb disposal squad was killed and more than a dozen others hurt in two bombing incidents in southern Thailand last night and Tuesday morning.

Yesterday morning at 9am, a bomb disposal officer died when a bomb went off when he and security personnel were investigating a location where Sungai Padi district office head Sayang Chanachaiwong was shot last night at 9pm.

The explosion also injured eight officers who were on duty and a member of the public who was at the scene.

Narathiwat police chief Police Maj Gen Vichai Kasemwong said the homemade bomb,weighing seven kilogrammes, was placed at a tree in Kampung Air Batu, Sungai Padi, Narathiwat.

The bomb was detonated using a cellphone, he said.

Sungai Padi District Police chief Police Colonel Wuttipon Yenjit said police did not go to the scene of the incident last night fearing it was a trap to detonate a bomb when security forces were investigating.

In a separate incident in Pattani, a People's Volunteer Corps member and five members of the public including a 13-year-old boy were hurt when a bomb exploded in Kampung Muangtia, Maelan district, last night at 9.21pm.

The explosion, which was activated using a cellphone, took place when a crowd was busy putting out burning tyres on the road.

Maelan District police chief Police Colonel Phitak Uthaitham said police did not rush to the scene because it was a dangerous area.