3 of monks, 3 of police and 3 of residents were slightly wounded after a home made bomb went off in front of a laundry shop on Charoen Pradit Road in Muang Pattani on 21 November, 2011 in the morning.



The monks from Khajorn Pracharam Temple, guarded by the three officers, were on an alms-begging round, Pol Colonel Somporn Meesuk, superintendent of Pattani Police Station.

The 3 kilogram bomb, hidden under a flowerpot near Nuch Laundry Shop, was detonated by remote control when the group was about five meters away from it.

The monks were identified as Phra Jin Panichkul is 52 years old and Phra Yongyuth Khaoborisut, is 35 years old and Phra Worapong Sutthipong is 54 years old.

The officers were Pol Corporals Thanom Khonwai is 29 years old and Kampanart Malawan is 28 years old and Prakarn Chedipeng is 26 years old.

The civilians were Chat Suk-ubol is 72 years old and Chid Suk-ubol is 70 years old and Yeun Sukhonkhet is 72 years old.

The wounded were rushed to Pattani Hospital.

Police suspect this attack was the handiwork of insurgents bent on creating chaos in the deep South.

The Pattani Deputy Governor said the assault on monks and their security officers reflected the militant's strategy to hit at symbolic targets and discredit Thai security forces.

Since it took place on the route included in the security plan, it was meant to sow disunity in this multicultural society and to attract public attention.

In neighbouring Yala province, an explosion ripped through a shack at a banana plantation in Tambon Wang Phraya of Raman district at 10.45am.

Police found the body of Yako Ya-ngo is 55 years old in front of the shack. Nearby was a 70-centimetre-deep, 80cm-wide hole left by five-kilometre bomb and pieces of a metal box, an electric wire and a battery.

Police investigators found that Yako, a security volunteer for the district, was inspecting his banana plantation when he stepped on the device and discharged it.

As Yako had been shot at twice before, police believe southern separatists carried out this attack possibly the group that operated in the district and was led by Kama Chaichana was wanted for several national security cases.