Blasts injure 4 from teacher safety units

Blasts injure 4 from teacher safety units

Four security personnel were wounded in two bomb attacks in Yala and Pattani, local authorities said yesterday.

In Yala, the blast occurred in Than To district yesterday morning when an eight-man teacher protection unit from Task Force 33 was patrolling a local road near Buathong village.

L/Cpl Chanchai Yakij and volunteer ranger Montri Kongmongkol were wounded in the explosion and rushed to Than To Hospital. They were reported to be in a stable condition.

At the scene, security forces found a cloth banner displaying threats to attack state authorities. According to police, the bomb was detonated when the unit was about to search the area.

A bomb specialist unit inspected the scene and said the homemade bomb, weighing about 3-5kg, was detonated by a radio communication device.

In Pattani, the attack took place late on Sunday afternoon when an eight-member teacher protection unit travelling on two motorcycles and a pickup truck was approaching an intersection near the market of Basa-e village.

Two of the members who were riding on a motorcycle at the back of the convoy were wounded.

The injured men, identified as Pol Sub Lt Supat Polasit and Pol L/Cpl Wuthichai Kongsong, were rushed to Yarang Hospital. Their injuries were not life-threatening.

Meanwhile, preparations for peace talks with southern separatists are under way.

National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday chaired a meeting with senior security authorities, and a new framework for talks with southern insurgents was expected to top the meeting agenda.

The meeting came ahead of a planned visit to Malaysia by National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Thawil Pliensri and amid reports the NCPO chief had ordered a revision of the framework to cover demands of other insurgent groups.

Previously, the peace process had been limited to the Barisan Revolusi Nasional.

The meeting was attended by deputy army commander Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, who is in charge of implementation of southern policy, Fourth Army commander Gen Walit Rojanaphakdi and Mr Thawil, among others.

A source said it was likely changes would be made to the Thai delegation, especially the chief negotiator. The delegation set up by the Yingluck administration was headed by former NSC chief Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut.

With the revisions underway, three committees would be set up to tackle southern violence more efficiently, the source said.

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