Two persons wounded in series of bomb attacks in four southern provinces

PATTANI, May 21 (TNA) – Two persons were wounded in series of simultaneous bomb attacks at ATMs in 17 locations of four southern province of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. After the simultaneous bomb attacks around 7pm last night, explosive ordnance disposal officers this morning discovered another unexploded bomb at an ATM of Government Savings Bank near the CS Pattani Hotel. The bomb failed to function properly. It was placed in an metal box and set to explode at 7pm yesterday. The 600-gramme explosive device has been disposed successfully. The bombings occurred simultaneously yesterday at eight spots in Pattani, four spots in Yala, two spots Narathiwat and two spots in Songkhla. In Pattani, two persons were wounded in a bombing at an ATM of Kasikorn Bank on Yarang Road. They remain in hospital for treatment. In Songkhla, EOD officers, and the police has inspected a bomb site at a Government Savings Bank ATM in a gas station in Thepa district. No one was injured in the incident. In Narathiwat, an ATM of Islamic Bank of Thailand in Bacho district was damaged in the bombing and two motorcycles, parked nearby were destroyed. About an hour later after the blast, the military outpost in the compound of Provincial Waterworks Authority office in Bacho district was hit by a shooting attack. Officials exchanged gunfire with suspected insurgents but no one was wounded. Pol Maj Gen Manas Siksamat, chief of Narathiwat police ordered all 13 police stations to step up security at military outposts, to set up checkpoints and to conduct patrols to prevent attacks on ATMs. (TNA)