Thai Railway Attack Injures 15

[udon]

Last Update: Sunday, March 27, 2005. 5:15pm (AEST)

Thai railway attack injures 15

At least 15 railway workers, soldiers and police have been injured in two bomb blasts and an hour-long gun battle in Thailand's restive south.

The attack has been blamed on Islamic insurgents.

Two bombs exploded around 6:15am local time 30 metres from the Sungai Padi railway station in Narathiwat province as a maintenance train car was travelling from Sungai Kolok to Tanyong.

After the blasts, groups of gunmen hidden near the tracks opened fire on the train.

Soldiers and police returned fire, and the ensuing shootout lasted for an hour before the attackers managed to escape.

At least 10 railways workers and several soldiers and police on the train have been injured.

Five of them are seriously wounded and taken to a nearby hospital.

The bombs have also damaged the railway and forced authorities to suspend service.

"The bombs were targeting government officials, as it was part of the unrest," police said.

At least 630 people have been killed in the predominantly Buddhist kingdom's Muslim-majority south since the Islamic separatist insurgency erupted in January 2004.

- AFP