Pair of bomb blasts today in restive southern

Suspected Muslim rebels exploded a bomb in front of a rice shop and set fire to a school in restive southern Thailand, injuring six people, police officer said monday.
20 minutes later, a second, more powerful bomb went off. The explosion tore through shops and a motorcycle taxi stand at a major intersection across the street from the city's railway station.
A Policeman, Subin Pruekmongkol lost his arms and legs in the blast, was taken to Yala Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Four police officers suffered serious injuries, while three local reporters and 13 passers-by suffered minor injuries.
Police were the apparent target of the bomb blasts announced police Lieutenant Chob Khaewsrikan.
Tactic of using a smaller bomb as a lure, followed by a second stronger bomb, has become more common in the south Thailand insurgency.
In Bangkok, the central government's Cabinet agreed to extend an emergency law in the southern provinces for another three months. The current round expires on wednesday.
Thailand's three southernmost provinces Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani have been troubled with insurgency related violence which has claimed more than 2.500 lives since it resumed in the beginning of 2004.