Bombs in Thailand

In case you've forgotten Thailand is under attack in the South from Islamic Nutbars...

Triple blast

Three bombs apparently set on motorcycles by southern insurgents killed a woman and wounded at least 71 passersby in Sukhirin district of Narathiwat on Tuesday, police said.

Police said the first two bombs went off almost together around 11:15am on the edge of a parking lot near the entrance to the district office, where village leaders from the area were holding an outdoor meeting.

The third went off a few minutes later near a tea shop.

Wounded people were rushed to Sukhirin and Sungai Kolok hospitals. Mobile phone access to the area was cut to try to prevent more explosions, adding to the chaos.

Initial reports by hospital officials said a woman was killed in one of the blasts. At least 30 of the 71 wounded were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Military officials said they had received reports of a bomb and explosives disposal teams tried to rush to the scene.

"But as they were closing the area, the bomb exploded and many bystanders were also injured," said an officer.

The bombs were the latest incidents in a sudden upsurge of violence as students returned to school after the autumn harvest break.

An army spokesman said security personnel also found a 5kg bomb in next-door Rueso district, also in Narathiwat, but it did not explode. On Monday, a roadside bomb targeting soldiers escorting teachers exploded but there was no casualty.

Last week, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat visited the South and commented that troubles in the region appeared to have eased.

On Monday night a 47-year-old religious teacher was shot dead in Narathiwat province, while a 41-year-old man was killed laterthe same night in a similar attack in nearby Pattani province, police said.