The roadside device exploded at around 5:30 pm a village in Yala province, police told AFP, with all the victims thought to be Buddhists returning home from work.
Shadowy Islamic insurgents have waged a violent campaign in Thailand`s southernmost region bordering Malaysia since early 2004, leaving more than 4,400 people dead, including both Muslims and Buddhists.
Thailand extended emergency rule last week in most of the Muslim-majority region for another three months, despite rights groups` concerns about the powers given to the military.
Three Muslim civilians, including a married couple, were shot dead by an unknown gunman in the same area on January 21, according to police.
This followed an unusually brazen attack by armed rebels on a Thai military base in Narathiwat last week, killing at least four soldiers and wounding several more.(*)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
