Series of bombs kills 1, injures dozens in south Thailand

Multiple bombs went off Wednesday night and Thursday morning in the Muslim-majority province of Pattani in south Thailand.

Reports say one civilian was killed by a blast Thursday, and several policemen have been injured in other explosions around Yaring province.

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So far, reports have counted eight separate blasts in the town -- six overnight at places like a post office, food stall, a bank and a government office. The next two occurred in the morning.

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Authorities have moved to tighten security in the area, especially in Hat Yai which is popular with tourists. Many are expected to arrive in the town ahead of the Thai New Year celebrations in two weeks' time, known as the Songkran festival.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet, but authorities are pinning it on insurgents that have been clashing with the central government for over 50 years. Pattani is located near the border with Muslim neighbour, Malaysia, to the south, and was independently ruled by sultans until Thailand conquered it at the turn of the 20th century.

This series of attacks is one of the more serious in recent years in south Thailand. Just last month, a car bomb blew up in the Muang district and injured a group of policemen.

The last attack on this sort of scale carried out in Pattani in 2014 killed at least three people and injured 55 in a wave of bombs planted at gas stations and 7-Eleven outlets around the city centre.

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