Four injured in bomb attacks at petrol stations in south Thailand, says army

BANGKOK - Assailants detonated bombs at nearly a dozen petrol stations in Thailand’s south early on Jan 11, injuring four people, said the army, the latest attacks in the insurgency-hit region.

A low-level conflict since 2004 has killed thousands of people as rebels in the Muslim-majority region bordering Malaysia battle for greater autonomy.

Several bombs exploded within a 40-minute period after midnight on Jan 11, igniting 11 petrol stations across Thailand’s southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, an army statement said.

The authorities did not announce any arrests or say who may have been responsible.

“It happened almost at the same time. A group of an unknown number of men came and detonated bombs, which damaged fuel pumps,” Narathiwat Governor Boonchauy Homyamyen told the local media, adding that a police officer was injured in the province.

A firefighter and two petrol station employees were injured in Pattani province, the army said.

All four victims were admitted to hospitals, none with serious injuries, said an army spokesman.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that security agencies believe the attacks were a “signal” timed with elections for local administrators taking place on Jan 11, and “not aimed at insurgency”.

The army’s commander in the south, Major-General Narathip Phoynok, told reporters he has ordered security measures to be raised to the “maximum level in all areas”, including at road checkpoints and borders. Over in Narathiwat, a curfew from 9pm to 5am was imposed.

The nation’s deep south is culturally distinct from the rest of Buddhist-majority Thailand, which took control of the region over a century ago. The area is heavily policed by Thai security forces – the usual targets of insurgent attacks. AFP, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK