Rubber plantation workers severely injured, man’s leg blown off after stepping on bomb

A man’s leg was blown off in a bomb explosion while he was working in a rubber plantation in Narathiwat, a province in Thailand’s Deep South near the Malaysia border where small bombings and attacks happen occasionally due to the religious separatist insurgency. A woman’s face was also injured in the explosion.

The two were working in the rubber plantation at around 8 am this morning in the Sungai Padi district when one of them stepped on a bomb buried under the ground. The man, who also worked as a territorial defence volunteer, lost his leg. They were rushed to Sungai Padi Hospital for treatment. Police are still investigating.

Just last week, a volunteer ranger in Narathiwat was killed in a grenade attack by suspected insurgents. Four other soldiers were injured. A Thai army camp of about 8 soldiers was set up along the Sungai Kolok River in the Tak Bai district, which separates Thailand and Malaysia. Around 15 suspected insurgents attacked the army camp from the Malaysian side of the river, firing grenades using an M79 grenade launcher, throwing pipe bombs, and firing automatic weapons, a soldier says.

The regiment chief said suspects last week’s attack was over the recent extrajudicial killing of suspected insurgent Rosali Lamso, who was wanted on nine warrants, including murder and multiple grenade attacks. Officers had surrounded a home in the neighbouring “Deep South” province Pattani. Rosali died in the gunfire exchange.

A few months ago, more than two dozen AK-102 assault rifles went missing from a military base in Narathiwat. Officers did a count of other arms depots in the province and found that more rifles were missing. Only six of the rifles have reportedly been found and one man was arrested for allegedly selling the firearms.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post