NARATHIWAT ― A military ranger was killed and seven others injured when a motorcycle bomb went off outside Rangae district office on Wednesday.
Police and bomb disposal officers rushed to the district office on Sai Maruabo-Bor Thong Road after being alerted about the blast at 2.20pm.
The incident took place at a time when many people were at a trade fair to buy discounted goods which was organised on the open grounds opposite the government office.
Police said a home-made bomb, weighing about 10-15 kilogrammes, was contained in a motorcycle parked near one corner of the office’s wall. It was believed a suspected insurgent mingling among the crowds at the trade fair used a mobile phone to detonate the bomb when a foot patrol from the 45th Ranger Regiment was passing the spot.
A bomb sniffing dog was killed on the spot and six rangers were wounded, one seriously with a leg being cut off by shrapnel. Two civilians were also injured.
The seriously wounded ranger, identified as Sgt Maj1 Prapan Chomkokegruad, the team leader, was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Witnesses told police that the bomb was detonated as the sniffer dog was checking the motorcycle. The explosion threw the victims into the air and littered the place with pieces of metal and electronic devices.
The injured officers were Sgt Maj1 Aunuay Sornboonchu, Sgt Maj1 Suchart Viangchan, Sgt Songthai Nacharoon, Pvt Anupon Limarron and Winai Hemdaaecho, a paramilitary ranger.
The civilians were identified as Parinya Prabwijit and Mauseng Bayae.