Nine soldiers were wounded, three of them seriously, by a bomb explosion while they were providing security for teachers in Pattani's Yarang district on Tuesday morning.
Pol Col Adisakda Charoenkul, the Ban Sarong police chief, said the attack took place about 8.30am near Ban Lubo Bala in tambon Khaotum of Yarang district.
A vehicle taking nine soldiers of Company 6144 of Pattani Task Force 21 to provide security for teachers on a road near Ban Lubo Bala.
A 15kg bomb, inside a fire extinguisher cylinder buried in the road, was detonated by militants as the vehicle was passing over it.
Three soldiers - Mst Sgt Adisak Pimpakul, Mst Sgt Teun Chaisaj, and Sgt Tiwakorn Pratchaya - were seriously wounded in the explosion while the six others suffered minor injuries. They were admitted to Yarang Hospital.
On Monday night, two villagers were shot dead in separate attacks in Pattani.
Sant Kimku, 44, a motorcycle repairman, was shot at a point-blank range in the head by the pillion rider of a motorcycle in front of his house at Village Group 4 in tambon Sai Thong or Mai Kaen district.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at Mai Kaen Hospital. The attack occurred about 6pm.
Later, about 8pm, Prakan Paerasama, 55, a villager of Village Group 2 in tambon Manangyong in Yaring district, was shot with a shotgun by one of four men who arrived on two motorcycles while he was walking to a nearby mosque for prayers. He died on the spot.
Police were investigating the two incidents.
Photos by Post Photographer