Bomb attack at Pattani police station, two killed, 42 injured

PATTANI: -- An unidentified assailant threw a bomb at Muang police station in Pattani while policemen were lining up to salute the flag and report to duty in the morning, police said on Wednesday.

The attack happened shortly after 8 am while policemen were reciting their oath of duty as part of the morning routine.

Police said two assailants arrived on a motorcycle which slowed down in front of the police station and the pillion rider threw an M67 into the policemen.

Two police were severely injured and died at the hospital.

The blast damaged a police pick-up and the windows of the police station.

Police were checking video records of security cameras in the area.

-- The Nation 2010-04-21

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according to locals in the area, the policemen were collected together to sing the national anthem

while a patriotic display is good, but one would imagine that under such intense situation they would devise a strategy to minimize the size of themselves as target?

RIP, and hope the rest of the injured recover quickly.

a VERY bold move by the militants by the way. the policestation is right in the middle of town, and is on a partly one way street, and runs parallel to a river..... (ie. I read that as not too many exits), but seems the police were caught by surprise?

It happened near my house and i was in my room watching tv when i felt an earthquake like tremor. I was still wondering what had happened until i saw the bombing news

It happened near my house and i was in my room watching tv when i felt an earthquake like tremor. I was still wondering what had happened until i saw the bombing news

How safe or unsafe is Pattani for aging tourists with an interest in the history of the port there? It's a place I'd love to visit later this year.

It happened near my house and i was in my room watching tv when i felt an earthquake like tremor. I was still wondering what had happened until i saw the bombing news

How safe or unsafe is Pattani for aging tourists with an interest in the history of the port there? It's a place I'd love to visit later this year.

I used to live in Pattani in the 90s, and I've been back twice in the past two years. I consider it safe in the sense that it should be OK if you take reasonable precautions. The main industrial fishing port is outside of town, and its easy to find transportation there during the day with local tuktuks. Transportation at night throughout the city is generally pretty hard to find. You're likely going to want to be back at your hotel in the early evening (i.e. by 8:30 PM). Last couple of times I was there I stayed at My Gardens Hotel and it was about $12-$15 a night (400-500 baht if I recall, could have been a little more).