One person died and seven others were injured after a bomb exploded near a busy market in Tak Bai district, in Narathiwat, police said yesterday.
The bomb ripped through a roadside shelter where a 12-man patrol was resting about 10.30am in tambon Jehheh near Ban Taba market.
The blast seriously wounded boat driver Sanadi Doloh, who later died in Narathiwat hospital.
The bomb also wounded four soldiers including the patrol commander and three civilians, one of whom was a Malaysian national.
Police investigators said the bomb_which weighed about 5 kg _ was planted on the roof of the shelter and detonated by remote control.
The injured soldiers were identified as Sgt Maj 1st Class Thammakorn Chamram, the patrol commander, Pvt Likhit Thanomsombat, Pvt Chakrapong Thepsena and Pvt Phusit Basri. The three wounded civilians were named as Meenoh Boonchan, Nida Daraman and Malaysian national Paosi Awae.
Meanwhile, in Yala's Ka Bang district, a soldier at a military base yesterday killed a sergeant and wounded three other soldiers in what appeared to be a drugs-induced rampage, police said.
Pvt Bancha Raklaemkhae, 22, was detained following a shooting spree that left Sgt Wichian Priksi dead. The wounded were identified as Sgt Wachira Boonlam, Sgt Sanon Muadthip and Sgt Maj 1st Class Wikorn Chumchart.
Pvt Bancha, who allegedly claimed to be a drug addict, told police his craving for drugs had sent him over the edge.
In Pattani, two men were shot dead near Baan Khao Din, in Thung Yang Daeng district. The gunmen planted fake bombs on the road leading to the crime scene to aid their getaway.
After giving the all clear, police found the bodies of two men, later identified as Suan Chansri and Somnuek Somdaeng, in a green pickup truck. Police suspect the incident is related to the ongoing insurgency.