In Yala's Raman district, rangers searching a village came across a rocket-propelled grenade-launcher with three grenades and three AK-47 assault rifles with 15 rounds of ammunition. 

In Narathiwat, rangers found an M-16 assault rifle with a magazine full of ammunition hidden in a tree 700 metres away from Ban Kuching Reupoh school, where two women teachers were brutally beaten two weeks ago.

In Yala's Betong district a bomb went off in front of the district prison at 8am, inflicting minor damage on a nearby parked truck.

Thaksin's 'secrets' : Party downplays Sophon threat

Thai Rak Thai Party deputy spokesman Chatuporn Phromphan yesterday played down a threat from Senator Sophon Supapong to expose two damning secrets about caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Sophon made his threat last week after Thaksin initiated legal proceedings against him for circulating the so-called Finland Declaration.

"Sophon is trying to scare Thaksin with an empty threat in order save himself because he knows he has fabricated a smear," Chatuporn said, adding that the ruling party will sue Sophon for fabricating a story seen as offensive to the monarchy.

Sophon yesterday urged Thaksin to rethink his reaction. "He knows quite well what I mean by that, and if he does not do so in time I will reveal the two facts involved," Sophon said. -

Sting operation  : Fake money seized, four arrested

Provincial police in Nong Khai yesterday arrested four men on suspicion of trafficking Bt1 million in counterfeit banknotes that were allegedly produced in Cambodia.

The arrest took place during a sting operation in which police allegedly lured one of the men to deliver the fake notes in Seka district.