Four Thai Soldiers Killed As Homemade Bomb Goes Off

PATTANI (Thailand), Sept 23 (Bernama) -- A powerful roadside bomb exploded on the Tebing-Saiburi road early Friday, killing four Thai soldiers on patrol in restive southern Thailand's Pattani province, according to a military spokesman. Five other soldiers and a civilian were injured in the 6.10 am incident (7.10 am Malaysian time), said Col Pramote Prom-in, a spokesman for the Army's 4th Division. “The incident happened when nine soldiers were on patrol in a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the road,” he said at a press conference at Sirinthorn Camp. The force of the explosion ripped the vehicle into two, he said, adding that the bomb, estimated to weigh between 80kg to 100kg, had been placed by the roadside and triggered by a battery. Pramote said the injured soldiers and civilian were rushed to Saiburi Hospital and later transferred to Pattani Hospital. He also said that the military would conduct an investigation to identify those responsible for the bomb attack. In BANGKOK, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also the Defence Minister, said the latest round of violence in southern Thailand would not derail the current peace process. "The (peace) talks will still continue, they have not stopped," he told the media here Friday when asked about a spike in violent incidents in the volatile region and the possible effect on the current peace talks between the Thai government and militant groups. Friday's bombing incident happened a week after another powerful roadside bomb exploded in Yala province, killing two soldiers and leaving 27 others injured, most of them members of a Bomb Disposal Unit. Prawit also said that he had asked security forces in the southern provinces to beef up security measures and exercise maximum caution on their patrolling routes. "Security patrols need to be more careful," said Prawit, as he extended condolences to the families of the dead soldiers. -- BERNAMA