Parez Lohasan, Narong Nuansakul, and Piyanart Srivalo (The Nation), The Asia News Network, Thailand | Fri, 02/10/2012 10:19 AM
A pickup bomb exploded in the heart of Pattani town (south Thailand) on Thursday morning, killing a pensioner and injuring 11 other victims.
Two children, aged just two and five, were among the injured. The blast also damaged 11 cars and pickups, as well as two motorcycles.
The explosion caused a fire, too. It spread for a while before a fire engine rushed in and extinguished it.
Police said the pickup, with about 30 kilos of explosives, had been parked near the fence separating the official residences of the permanent secretary for Pattani provincial government and of the provincial public health chief for two days without arousing any suspicion.
The spot was located not only in the residential area of government officials but also on a road frequented by locals, including school students.
Manit Uma, a 50-year-old pensioner, sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the Pattani Hospital. Of the 11 injured victims, two were being treated in the hospital's intensive care unit. They suffered from burns.
Police said the bomb impact was so severe that the pickup containing the explosives broke into two parts and shrapnel spread all over a 300 metre radius.
"The licence plate on the pickup is a fake," a policeman said.
The explosion shattered the windows and doors of many nearby buildings, including the Pattani Public Health Office.
Police said they had received tipoffs that insurgents had planned to stage bomb attacks using either motorcycle bombs or car bombs. Checkpoints, therefore, had been manned at key intersections in Pattani from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8.
According to police, the insurgents might have targeted territorial defence volunteers in carrying out the Thursday attack. About 1,000 volunteers were scheduled to attend a rite in front of the Pattani City Hall that was located just one kilometre away.
Police are now checking recordings on the security cameras in a bid to nail down the culprits.
In a related development, a bomb went off in Narathiwat's Bacho district also on Thursday morning. The incident injured two soldiers, Petty Officer Chatmongkhon Noisong and Private Jakkrit Yodkong. They were escorting teachers to schools when the explosion erupted.
Pol Lt Colonel Weerasak Sirijan said a hole 40 centimeters deep and 60 centimeter wide was created at the explosion scene.
In Bangkok, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) yesterday. After emerging from the meeting, NSC secretary general Pol General Wichean Photephosri said the meeting agreed to focus on exploring peaceful solutions and boosting mutual trust and understanding between the state and locals for the administration of the southern border provinces from this year until 2014.
"The policy will no longer focus on reduction of violent incidents," Wichean said, "But this policy will have to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval first".
