Thai Police found 17 bombs in Hatyai

Thai Police found 17 small home-made bombs set up in Hatyai, the commercial capital of southern Thailand's and the biggest city in southern, local newspaper Bangkok Post reported today. The police sweep also took 29 rifles, bomb-making materials and counterfeit vehicle registration plates and illegal amphetamine.
A police officer said that five bombs were discovered close to the Prince of Songkhla University on Poonakan road. Another 12 bombs were discovered outside a restaurant in downtown Hatyai.
If the bombs had gone off it would had created a panic in the center of Hatyai. The policeman declared the bombs that were discovered was low-pressure bombs, which would only cause chaos to the area rather than deaths. It is also believed the bombs that were discovered were the same as a device that exploded last week near the army headquarters in Bangkok, which injured two soldiers. The tourists are already advised from there Embassy to stay away from the tourism area.
On last september, police forces discovered five bombs at a public park in Hatyai. Intelligence warnings deducted a possible attack in the once-bustling tourist city of Hatyai, has spurred the authorities into beefing up security patrols.
Southern Thailand has been the prey of Muslim insurgency since january 2004 that has killed more than 2.500 people. Most of the rebel activity, including attacks on school teachers, Buddhist monks and almost-daily bombings, is located in the neighbouring provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

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.