Ranger Killed, 23 Civilians, Rangers Injured In Yala Car Bombing

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Ranger killed, 23 civilians, rangers injured in Yala car bombing

Yala - A ranger was killed and 23 civilians and rangers were injured when insurgents detonated a homemade bomb hidden inside a car in Yala's Muang district Monday morning.

The car was blown up at 8:15 am when a team of rangers arrived at the scene in a pick-up truck, police said.

The killed ranger has yet to be identified.

Police said insurgents parked the Honda sedan in front of the a drug store Sunday night and detonated the bomb with a remote control.

-- The Nation 2011-04-18

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Yala car bomb kills Army ranger, 20 others wounded

YALA, April 18 – A car bomb killed one Thai army ranger and wounded 23 others including local residents in the southern province of Yala.

The explosion occurred Monday in front of a drug store on Sirorot Road in the provincial seat.

The car was parked at the scene around 6am Monday before bomb was triggered when about five Thai Army Rangers arrived in a pickup truck.

Pol Maj-Gen Chote Chawalwiwat, Commander of the Yala Provincial Police, led the team to inspect the car bomb site and firefighters put out the fire.

One man died at the scene and 23 people including army rangers and civilians were wounded in the incident. A number of cars and motorcycles were damaged by the blast. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-04-18

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Yala rocked by car-bomb attack

A ranger was killed and 23 civilians and rangers were injured when insurgents detonated a homemade bomb hidden inside a car in Yala's Muang district Monday morning.

The car was blown up at 8:15 am when a team of rangers arrived at the scene in a pick-up truck, police said.

The killed ranger, whose body was stuck inside the pick-up wreckage, has yet to be identified.

Police said insurgents parked the Honda sedan in front of a drug store on Siroros Road Sunday night. The spot was opposite from the Yala Highways District. The insurgents detonated the bomb with a remote control once the pick-up with five rangers from Rangers Company 4714 of the 47th Ranger Regiment reached the spot.

The blast also injured several cars and vehicles, which were passing by.

The injured were identified as Noppakhun Benjawan, Sakhon Saengsi, Phisut Phucharoen, Nongnuch Kratijum, Narong Ratananrasamee, Jamnong Moh-ae, Ranger Volunteer Samai Kotetana, Tae Rahdo, Wanthanee Phakdeephan, Nareekan Sangwaleerat, Surachai Ritthirat, Surin Doloh, Aha Mahsa, Pharadee Harattaphan, Saree Pajarong, Ranger Volunteer Supassorn Hoisang, Rosada Bormordayo, Niphas Ma-useng, Urai Tabdong, Sama-ae Diyamu, Nongnut Kasiwut, Hamsoh Waseng and Pranee Sukhakhern.

-- The Nation 2011-04-18

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One dead, 23 hurt by bomb in Thai south: police

YALA, April 18, 2011 (AFP) - A car bomb exploded Monday in Thailand's insurgency-plagued far south, killing a paramilitary ranger and wounding 23 other people, police said.

The makeshift device exploded as troops passed by in a pick-up truck on a busy street in Yala, one of three provinces near the Malaysian border that have been under emergency rule since 2005.

Civilians were among the casualties, police said.

Yala governer Krissada Boonraj said the perpetrators had waited until after the long holiday weekend for Thai New Year to plant the bomb.

"The insurgents were waiting to attack after Songkran as during that time we were strictly controlling the situation," he said.

Shadowy insurgents have waged an uprising in Thailand's southernmost region bordering Malaysia since early 2004, leaving more than 4,500 people dead, including both Muslims and Buddhists.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-04-18

[sirchai]

Very sad news that people are using bombs to kill and injure innocent people.:jap:

RIP for the deceased and a speedy and FULLY recovery for the injured ones. I'm sad.

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UPDATE

Separatist leader Usman sought after car bomb

By The Nation

Police are poring over video recordings from security cameras in Yala in a bid to track down culprits behind a car bomb that killed a ranger and injured 25 other people yesterday.

Sgt Major First Class Apisit Yuanprang died at the scene when the car bomb exploded at about 8.15am on Siroros Road in Mueang district.

Six volunteer rangers, some of them women, were among the injured. Up to 19 civilians were among the victims.

It was believed the explosives must have weighed about 30 kilos. The explosion mangled a greyish black Civic, which was used as the car bomb. An Isuzu pickup used by the ranger team was also badly damaged, along with motorcycles belonging to local people.

"Thanks to the security cameras, we found that the Civic car was parked at the spot from 5.30am," Yala police chief Maj General Chote Chawanwiwat said. "The man who parked the car there was captured on the security camera too."

Footage from the security camera also revealed two men on a blue Honda motorcycle repeatedly driving around the scene between 7am and shortly after 8.15am yesterday.

"We suspect that they might have been involved in the bomb attack," an official said on condition of anonymity.

He said investigators were focusing their attention on Usman Dorkhor, the alleged leader of an armed separatist group.

Yala Governor Krissada Boonrat said it was clear the attackers knew the ranger team's movements very well.

"They knew that the ranger team would drive past the spot. That's why they left a car bomb there," he said.

In nearby Narathiwat, a man riding on the back of a motorcycle opened fire on a security-officials' booth in a bid to lure policemen out of Rueso police station.

After five policemen ran out to the open area, they were hit by a hail of bullets from a group of armed men hiding in bushes by the roadside. Then, a bomb exploded.

Pol Sgt Jakpong Sangsawas and Pol Corporal Rattapong Pramoonsap were injured in the bomb attack.

Another group of attackers threw spikes on to the road to prevent security officials from following them as they fled.

As of press time, the attackers remained on the run.

-- The Nation 2011-04-19