A former border patrol policeman was killed and six other people, including a school director and a municipal councillor, were wounded when a motorcycle bomb exploded in Songkhla's Na Thawi district yesterday morning.
Bomb disposal experts examine the blast scene at a tea shop in Na Thawi district of Songkhla following a motorcycle bomb attack that killed a former border patrol policeman and wounded six other people yesterday. WICHAYANT BOONCHOTE
The explosion took place outside a tea shop next to Pithan Panich Co, a Toyota dealership in tambon Na Thawi municipality about 7am. The blast killed Pol Snr Sgt Maj Chamras Thongkate, 67, a retired border patrol policeman, police said.
Six other people were injured in the explosion and were taken to Songklanagarind Hospital. Three were reported to be in critical condition.
They were named as Pol Snr Sgt Maj Veera Pongkaew, a retired police officer; Komsan Auisakul, director of Ban Priang School in Na Thawi district; and Sompop Saowaneepitak.
The other three who were slightly wounded, were Dusit Manthati, a tambon Na Thawi municipal councillor; Jai Sangkhao and Thanisak Yichin.
Police later detained four men suspected of being involved in the motorcycle bombing for questioning.
Security sources suspect about 10 men were behind the attack. The group is believed to be the same one behind the bomb attack on the Lee Gardens Hotel in Songkhla's Hat Yai district in March last year.
Meanwhile, in Yala, doctors say a four-year-old boy who was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting on Thursday was recovering well in hospital.
Zofron Ladisong, 4, and his older brother Yolan Khwansuk, 13, were with their mother Suhainee Longsa on a motorcycle when two men travelling on another motorcycle shot at them on the Kotabaru-Mai Kaen road in Yala's Muang district at 6.50pm.
Suhainee, 37, was killed, while Zofron was hit in his left shoulder. Yolan was left unhurt. Doctors at Yala Hospital said yesterday that Zofron was getting better, and would probably be discharged in one or two days.