Three bomb and two gun attacks were launched by militants in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat province on Saturday night, wounding four people - a police officer and three civilians - while one militant was killed in an exchange of fire with marine police.

The attacks were launched at almost the same time at about 8pm in five spots.

The first attack took place at Sod Sai karaoke shop at Moo 4 in tambon Che He. A motorcycle with a 5kg bomb planted in it was left in front of the shop shortly before the explosion.

The bomb was detonated but the explosion was not powerful enough to cause damage. A nine-year-old girl, Rungthip Kanchanathawil, playing in front of the shop was slightly wounded.

The second attack was a car bomb which went off near Coffee House restaurant in the Ta Ba Plaza Hotel in tambon Ta Ba of Tak Bai district. A 50kg bomb made of a gas cylinder was detonated remotely with a mobile phone.

The restaurant was badly damaged by the powerful explosion. Glass windows in hotel rooms from the first to third floors were shattered. A female house keeper, Praneet Jaengwicharn, 49, was injured.

Eyewitnesses told police that before the explosion they saw a man drive a Toyota car with a fake licence plate to the restaurant and leave on a motorcycle.

The third attack occurred at the marine police station at Ban Ta Ba in tambon Che He. A group of militants opened fire at the station with AK47 rifles and Uzi submachineguns. The marine police on duty returned fire.

During the battle, the militants threw two hand grenades into the station before fleeing. The grenades, however, did not explode.

One police officer, Pol Senior Sgt Maj Toranin Phonphasuk, was shot in the left leg.

One militant was killed in the firefight. He has not yet been identified. Police recovered from his body an AK47 rifle and a 9mm pistol.

In the fourth attack, a number of militants opened fire at Muang Mai karaoke shop at Moo 1 in tambon Che He, but did not inflict any casualties, leaving only bullet holes in the walls.

In the fifth attack, a home-made bomb made of a fish can and weighing about 0.5kg, went off at V Shop convenience store in the Tambon Che He Municipality. A woman customer, Arthit Phaengpho, 39, was injured.

Forensic police and bomb disposal teams were sent to the five spots on Sunday morning.

Also on Saturday night, acting on information received from villagers, police searched a pickup truck parked suspiciously on Sungai Kolok-Tak Bai road near Ban Saring in tambon Khosit inf Tak Bai district and found a 50kg home-made bomb. The bomb was defused in about 30 minutes.

Police discover later that the vehicle had been stolen from Rueso district on Oct 8. Two men were robbed of the pickup while they were selling electrical appliances at Ban Pupo in tambon Rueso Ok.