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  1 killed, 30 hurt as bombs explode in Thailand hotel

1 killed, 30 hurt as bombs explode in Thailand hotel

REUTERS
Published : Aug 25, 2016, 6:35 am IST
Updated : Aug 25, 2016, 6:35 am IST

Thailand’s military government said on Wednesday that there was no connection between two bombings overnight that killed one person in the southern town of Pattani and a wave of deadly attacks on tour

Thailand’s military government said on Wednesday that there was no connection between two bombings overnight that killed one person in the southern town of Pattani and a wave of deadly attacks on tourist spots in August.

A Thai man was killed and 30 wounded when two bombs exploded late on Tuesday at a hotel in the deep-south town of Pattani, less than two weeks after a wave of bombings hit towns in seven provinces in the central south.

No group has claimed responsibility for the tourist-town bombings, which killed four and wounded dozens, including foreigners, but suspicion has centered on Muslim separatists based in the deep south of the predominantly Buddhist country.

Security experts say the ethnic Malay, Muslim insurgents have a record of coordinated bomb attacks, which they usually do not claim.

Defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan, however, ruled out any link between the earlier attacks and the twin bombs in Pattani, which is near the Malaysian border and has for years been plagued by separatist violence, particularly since an intensification of the decades-old insurgency from 2004.

“I am sure that the incident in Pattani last night has nothing to do with the seven provinces attacks,” Mr Wongsuwan said.

Tourist towns in the central south have for years been spared any spill-over of violence from the deep south and analysts say the government is loath to blame the coordinated bombings this month on southern insurgents because of the fear of damaging the tourist industry.

No arrests have been made in connection with the attacks in the tourist towns but warrants for three suspects have been issued.

Location: Thailand, Bangkok