Three people were killed in bomb blast

Bangkok (VNA) – Three people were killed and 11 others injured after a bomb blast
in the violence-plagued province of Narathiwat in southern Thailand on Dec. 7, said
local news sources.

According to the Thai news agency (TNA), the bomb, comprising of roughly 8-10
kilogrammes of explosives, was attached to a motorcycle and detonated behind Bangnak
market in Narathiwat, one of the three mainly Muslim provinces.

The attack came two days ahead of a planned visit to the province by Thai Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak.

The trip to Narathiwat is part of a three-day official visit to Thailand by the
Malaysian Prime Minister. He and the Thai PM are scheduled to jointly preside over
the ceremony to inaugurate the Friendship Bridge over the Su-ngai Golok
River , which will link the two countries together.

Also on Dec. 7, insurgents were reported to have shot and injured five people in
Pattani. They also threatened to carry out more attacks before or during the trip by
the Thai and Malaysian leaders to force the Thai government to discuss Southern
issues with Malaysia.

The majority of the population in the three southern provinces of Narathiwat,
Pattani and Yala are Muslim and speak Malay. So far more than 3,900 people have been
killed by the separatists in violent attacks since January 2004.- Enditem