Boy killed, 3 hurt in Pattani

Three Army rangers from a teacher protection unit became the latest casualties of a suspected insurgency attack when they were injured by a blast during a routine patrol near a school in Khok Phoe in Pattani yesterday morning.

The bomb exploded as a unit of four soldiers patrolled about 30 metres from Ban Pa-Born School.

Police said the insurgents had concealed an iron box containing home-made explosive by the roadside, then detonated the bomb by mobile phone as the unit passed by.

Security forces surrounded the area but failed to catch those responsible for the attack.

Elsewhere, a 12-year-old boy died after the motorcycle he was travelling on with his stepfather and mother was attacked in Pattani's Nong Chik district on Monday night.

Nawaphol Li succumbed to head injuries at Nong Chik Hospital, while his stepfather, Narong Kongtong, 45, was seriously injured by gunshots to his shoulder and torso.

The boy's mother, Noknoi Li, survived unscathed.

The three were heading to their rented home after shopping at a department store, when they were attacked by two armed men on a motorcycle.