Three servicemen, including a top bomb disposal expert, were killed when a bomb they were inspecting exploded inside a Thai naval base Monday. An explosives team had previously tried to disarm the bomb and had declared it safe to handle.Investigators now believe the bomb was rigged with multiple trigger mechanisms, a tactic which they say is highly unusual for
The 25-kilogram bomb tore through the bomb disposal unit's working area beside the marines' Special Taskforce building. Two of the marines died at the scene, and an air force officer died on the way to hospital.
Security officers had discovered the device planted near a bridge as they were removing anti-peace talk banners which had been been hung up in several locations in the southernmost provinces.
The navy's EOD team was called to defuse the bomb. They severed the electrical circuit inside the home-made device, and believed it disarmed. The bomb was then taken back to base for further inspection, where it later detonated.
Another bomb went off in Narathiwat province Monday. The device had also been placed near an anti-peace talk banner. Lt Kraisak Rotkanthuk, who had been removing the banner when the bomb went off, suffered a leg wound.
The two spots where the bombs were planted were among 64 locations in Narathiwat where anti-peace talk banners were raised Monday. In Yala province, 16 similar banners were found in six districts. The banners were also raised across parts of Pattani province.
The banners, written in Malay, read: "Peace will not occur if talks are not held with the real owners."
Meanwhile, five people, including two children, were wounded Monday in attacks thought to have been carried out by
Aduean Dolo, his seven-year-old son, and a nine-year-old girl were wounded by a bomb blast as Mr Aduean was driving a pickup truck in Narathiwat. Investigators said the home-made bomb was most likely meant to hit a passing military convoy.
In Pattani, Napharat Sani and her sister Wanphen Inthongkaeo were shot and wounded in a drive-by attack as they were riding a motorcycle.