Thai police defuse bomb, rubber protest prolongs

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Nov 3 (TNA) - The current demonstration by rubber and palm growers in Thailand’s South remains tense after police found an explosive device and two rounds of grenades in two separate incidents before dawn Sunday. Bomb experts were able to defuse a TNT bomb found hidden inside a box, left in front of the house of a village chief in Bang Saphan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province. In another incident, police found two rounds of M79 grenades about 150 metres away from where the first explosive device was discovered. Police called the incident a hoax as two explosive devices were not assembled for use. Rubber and palm growers in 16 southern provinces have been blocking a portion of Phetchkasem highway for the ninth consecutive day Sunday, forcing motorists heading for the South and those coming to Bangkok to use a detour along the beach. They demand state-guaranteed rubber and palm oil prices at 100 baht per kilogramme and six baht a kilogramme respectively, and government help in their land ownership issues. (TNA)