Buried bomb blast targets five rangers

Buried bomb blast targets five rangers

Insurgents touched off a buried roadside bomb (far right) as rangers were escorting teachers to school but the explosion and shrapnel missed them all. (Photo courtesy Royal Thai Police)
Insurgents touched off a buried roadside bomb (far right) as rangers were escorting teachers to school but the explosion and shrapnel missed them all. (Photo courtesy Royal Thai Police)

NARATHIWAT: Insurgents detonated a roadside bomb as a ranger patrol unit was passing by in Rueso district Thursday. However, no one was injured.

The five rangers, from the 46th regiment, were in vehicles escorting teachers to local schools when they came across a suspicious-looking fertiliser bag near a bridge. They went to examine the bag and found it was empty, Pol Lt Tanit Wuthicha, deputy investigator of Reuso district police, said.

But as the rangers moved away from the bag, a bomb buried close by exploded.

Shrapnel from the blast, however, missed the soldiers as it spread out in another direction towards the forest.

The explosion left a hole, about 30 centimetres deep and 1.2 metres wide, and peppered the area with bomb debris.

An explosive ordnance disposal team arrived at the scene and made sure there were no other bombs hidden in the area.

The bomb weighed 10-15 kilogrammes and was placed inside a metal container that was buried in the ground, he said. It was remotely detonated, according to authorities.

Meanwhile, security measures have been beefed up across the southernmost provinces in a bid to prevent violent incidents and criminal activities over the New Year holidays.

Sakkarin Bamphensamai, assistant spokesman of the Southern Border Provinces Police Force, said Pol Maj Gen Ronnasil Phusara, head of the force, has ordered all officers under the agency to launch a crackdown on illegal activities. The operation will carry on until after the New Year long weekend.

The raid will zero in on criminal-prone areas such as bus passenger terminals and tourist spots, as well as events or activities attended by large crowds of revellers.

Police, bomb experts, paramedic teams and rescue workers were also put on standby in the event of unrest.

Police have also been asked to help drive a campaign for road traffic safety to reduce casualties from road accidents. The so-called "seven dangerous days" road safety campaign ends on Jan 3.

Legal action will be taken against those who light firecrackers or release floating lanterns which disturb or jeopardise public safety, Pol Col Sakkarin said.

Also Thursday, Internal Security Operations Command deputy spokesman Thanawee Suwannarat said security measures would be tightened in important economic areas in the South.

They are: Muang district in Pattani; Muang and Betong districts in Yala; Muang, Sungai Kolok and Tak Bai districts in Narathiwat; and Hat Yai district in Songkhla.

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