Policemen, civilians injured in Pattani car bomb

Seven policemen and four civilians were injured when a bomb planted in a stolen car exploded near a Border Patrol Police base in Pattani at about 12.30pm today.

Pattani police chief Mej.Gen Thanongsak Wangsupa said the homemade bomb weighing 20kg and placed inside a car that was parked in front of a tree exploded in the troubled southern Thai province.

"The impact of the explosion also damaged two other cars and a number of motorcycles parked nearby while fire quickly spread to a number of units in the base," he told reporters in Pattani today.

Six fire engines were deployed to the scene and brought the fire under control within 40 minutes.

Thanongsak said the car was reported stolen by its owner Somsak Dusadipiriya, 51, at about 9.30am today.

The owner of the car suffered injuries when unknown assailants shot him before fleeing with his car.

-Bernama