Fresh violence in Thai South

PATTANI, Feb 24 (TNA) - At least seven persons, including a deputy district officer of the southern province of Pattani, were slightly wounded Saturday night after insurgents planted bombs and set fire to several areas in the violence-plagued province, police said. The insurgents set fire by burning tyres and on buildings as well as planted bombs but no deaths were reported, police said. However, seven people, including the deputy district officer of Muang district, were slightly wounded after a volunteer car was bombed in the provincial seat. Most of them suffered from temporary hearing loss due to the sound of explosions, police said. Police at checkpoints began screening vehicles passing by thoroughly while helicopters flew around the city. Shortly after the incidents, all telephone signals in the province were cut. Meanwhile, police in the neighbouring province of Yala found a suspicious looking box at a pavilion in front of a youth centre building, located in Muang district, while government combined forces were closely monitoring the situation in the province. Fortunately, no bombs were found inside the box, police said. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the three southern provinces -- Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat -- and the four districts of Songkhla since violence erupted afresh in January 2004. (TNA)