Prayers for peace in Thai deep South

BANGKOK, April 10 (TNA) - Over 300 religious leaders and Thai Muslims prayed for peace Tuesday, after two vehicle bombings on Ruammit road of Yala province in the Thai far South on March 31. The ceremony, in which Yala Governor Detrat Simsiri, senior military and police officers, as well as senior administrative officials and Malaysian journalists participated, took place in front of a chicken rice shop on Ruammit road in the Nakhon Yala municipality, where two vehicle bombs went off at around noon on March 31, killing some 12 people and injured 105 others. Meanwhile, Paithoon Sawangkamol, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Justice's Rights and Liberties Protection Department, visited Hat Yai to speed up the process of compensation for victims of a similar car bombing at the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel, also on March 31, after staff of the department had earlier compiled information on the Hat Yai victims. Paithoon said that officials need to verify the list of victims and their documents before arranging for the compensation, promising that his department will pay the compensation as soon as possible. The senior official noted that insurance policies of some victims have unclear conditions and do not cover damages from sabotage; so, his department is trying to help such the victims. (TNA)