Yala: Two M79 grenades were fired at a security post in Yaha district of Yala during the early hours of Tuesday, injuring two rangers.
The injured -- identified as Taen Thongmak, 41, and Farit Waesu, 38 -- were rushed to a nearby hospital after the attack, which was carried out by an unidentified group of people.
The post normally serves as a security checkpoint in Ban Lima Pulo in tambon Ba-ngoy Sinae. The Yaha district police station was alerted to the attack at around 4.20am today.
Two M79 grenades were fired at the post, causing explosions that sent pieces of shrapnel flying into the air, injuring the two military rangers on duty.
It was initially believed the attack was launched to stir up unrest in the southern border province ahead of the Islamic month of Ramadan.
Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and the dates are determined by moon-sighting methodology, which requires a sighting of a new moon.
In Thailand, Muslims are waiting for an announcement by the Central Islamic Council of Thailand about when the fasting month will begin. It is expected to begin on Wednesday or Thursday.
Mai Mana, who was stationed with three other rangers near the post, said he heard four or five explosions. He fired a gun into the air to scare off the attackers, he said, before rushing to the post where he found the two injured rangers.
At about 3am, he said, he and the other rangers had spotted a drone being flown around the post. It flew off when they pointed a torch at it, he said. It was believed the drone was flying reconnaissance for the attack.
Around the time of the grenade attack, a shooting attack was reported at a security post in Ban Lue Mu in tambon Krong Pinang of Krong Pinang district of Yala. No one was injured in that attack.