An 11-year old Muslim boy was among the injured.

Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 Forward Command deputy spokesman Colonel Yuthanam Phetmuang said that a fire-bomb hit a grocery store behind Ban Ta Paed train station. As security officials and locals were helping to put out the fire at the shop, a bomb planted on a motorcycle parked nearby went off, killing 62-year-old Chom Phetchamrat and injured 14 others.

“The attack was an extreme violation of human rights. The insurgents aimed to achieve their goal without mercy to innocent people and even an 11-year old boy,” Yuthanam said.

A source said the insurgents had set off the fire-bomb to trap officials in the grocery shop. When authorities arrived to put out fire, the militants detonated another bomb planted on the motorcycle.

Provincial Police Region 9 commissioner Pol Lt General Weerapong Chuenpakdee said the motorcycle used in the attack was reported as stolen by the Nong Chik Police Station in Pattani. Police suspected the machine was modified for the bomb attack.

The bomb weighed about 10-15 kilograms and was detonated by a radio signal. The attack was similar to one at the Chana train station in Songkhla on April 11, Weerapong said.

He added that this group operated with the insurgency in the four southern border provinces. The latest attack took place 300 metres from Pattani’s Kok Pho district.

The impact of the explosion damaged houses of locals 30 metres away and a car with a Bangkok licence plate parked near by.

Police are studying CCTV footage to trace the insurgents. “Society must condemn the insurgents for the incident. They clearly wanted to attack officials without taking into account the safety of locals,” Weerapong said.

Songkhla Governor Songpol Sawattham visited the family of the man killed in the blast and handed over Bt500,000 for rehabilitation.

Fourth Army Region Commander and Isoc director Lt-General Wiwat Pathompak ordered agencies to fully enforce the law to round up the perpetrators.

National Security Council secretary-general Thaweep Netrniyom said the council suspected the same group of insurgents was responsible for the April 11 attack. He said to prevent such incidents, locals must provide intelligence information to officials.

The security officials would also resort to peace talks with insurgents scheduled at the end of April and early May.

Thaweep said security officials were confident they were holding peace talks with the right group of insurgents and they were at the stage of building mutual trust.