PATTANI, Feb 21 — A total of 17 persons were wounded by a bomb hidden in a pickup truck and believed to be planted by insurgents which exploded on Friday in the trouble-plagued southern province of Narathiwat, said a senior army officer on Saturday.
Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Fourth Region Forward Command, said authorities found that three bombs were planted and they were rigged to explode at the same time.
Fortunately, authorities were able to detonate two of them, preventing heavier losses and damages.
Col Pramote said the bomb was hidden in a pickup truck stolen from Songkhla’s Thepha district and was also used in a shooting incident in a nearby district of Pattani on September 11.
By early Saturday, eight of the wounded persons continued receiving treatment at a hospital in Narathiwat while nine others were allowed to return home.
A total of 17 houses were damaged in the explosion.
Col Pramote said Fourth Army Region Commander Lt Gen Prakan Chonlayut, who is responsible for security in the South, has ordered officials to try to arrest the bombers and to also provide assistance to the victims.
Denouncing the bombers for trying to disrupt government plan to restore peace in the deep South, Col Pramote said the incident had damaged the economy and hurt credibility of the government in its attempt to resolve the issue of violence in a peaceful manner.
The bombing incident should be denounced by every sector, he added. (MCOT online news)
