http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...ws.php?id=63870

Boy blows up self, classmates with bomb in northern Thailand

Bangkok (dpa) - A primary school student on Thursday killed himself and three classmates when he accidently triggered a bomb he found on the road to school, a school official confirmed.

The young boy, an ethnic Karen, reportedly found a grenade on the side of the road Thursday morning as he and his classmates were taking their daily three-kilometre walk from their boarding lodge to the Chumchon Ban Omkoi School in Chiang Mai, 490 kilometres northwest of Bangkok.

The boy, about 11, was believed to have accidently triggered the bomb while playing with it, the school official confirmed in a telephone interview. A fourth pupil was seriously injured, the official said.

The official, who asked to remain anonymous, refused to provide the names of the boys.

The Karen are one of a score of hill tribes that people the mountainous regions of northern Thailand.

What the h3ll is a grenade doing on the side of the road?

What a shame... the poor kids probably had no idea what it was.

Four children killed. How many were maimed and injured?

My thoughts and prayers go to their families.

BOMB KILLS 4 SCHOOLCHILDREN

The Commander of the 5th Regional police stated that the bombing incident that resulted in the death of four students at Baan Om Khoy (บ้านอมก๋อย), in Chiang Mai yesterday morning was an accident.

Phajhoatoo Sawasaram and four classmates discovered a bomb when making their journey from their dormitory to their school in Baan Om Khoy (บ้านอมก๋อย), and subsequently caused its detonation by playing with it, resulting in four fatalities and one injury. Following investigation by Police Colonel Thopanupong Singhara (โทภาณุพงศ์ สิงหรา), the Commander of the 5th regional police, it was concluded that the bomb was a military device. Further investigation will continue on this matter.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 November 2005