At least three people are reported dead and 55 injured after a wave of bombings tore through the southern Thailand city of Pattani on Saturday.
Local media report that at least five 7-Elevens and two gas stations were targeted in the bombings, which occurred in the city's center around 7:30 p.m. local time.
[seealso slug="thailand-coup"]
Fires & blackout in Pattani in Southern #Thailand after a series of explosions. At least 2 dead - TR @js100radio pic.twitter.com/o9DxV97YV9— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) May 24, 2014
20.15น. เหตุระเบิดปัตตานี จุดที่ระเบิดนับได้ 15 จุด พบวัตถุต้องสงสัยที่บิ๊กซีและเสียงคล้ายระเบิดที่ อ.เมือง เป็นระยะๆ pic.twitter.com/Tx9Mot0AOn— Thairath_News (@Thairath_News) May 24, 2014
MT @Thairath_News: 7.45PM almost all of 7-11 convinient stores in Pattani’s municipality were bombed, city blank out, many injuries.— Juarawee K. (Lina) (@Juarawee) May 24, 2014
มีระเบิด ในปัตตานี ขอบคุณภาพจากผสข.ภูมิภาคช่อง3 pic.twitter.com/uy6koUKPM3— Narissara (@NarisKinimarn) May 24, 2014
A little girl who was hurt in an explosion this evening in Pattani - RT @Nalinee_PLE: เด็กคนนี้ได้รับบาดเจ็บที่ขา pic.twitter.com/9vTYvEVizj— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) May 24, 2014
Power has been turned off across the city, and officials have told residents to stay indoors. No groups have stepped forward to claim responsibility for the attack, but the region has been bombed before by a restive ethnic separatist insurgency fighting for greater autonomy.
A similar wave of bombings hit southern Thailand on March 31, 2012, leaving 15 dead and hundreds injured. Thousands have been killed since the insurgency began targeting southern Thailand in 2001.