Explosions continued to rock the deep South yesterday as eight targets, mostly railway stations, were hit and seven people were wounded. Security forces meanwhile fanned out and arrested a number of people suspected of orchestrating Thursday's bombings of more than 40 locations.

In the worst attack, a device hidden under a pickup went off in a crowded market in Yala's Kabang district, seriously wounding the deputy district chief, who was driving, and his wife, as well as two police standing nearby.

Three people having lunch became casualties when an explosion ripped through their restaurant in Narathiwat's Tak Bai district.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, before leaving for a conference in Kazakhstan, expressed concern and said he had left his deputy, caretaker Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya, in charge of dealing with the insurgency's latest flare-up.

Chidchai called a meeting of agencies to review the situation and stepped up security measures with a proposal to install close-circuit televisions at hot spots, sources at the meeting said.

Other bombs went off at railway stations in Pattani's Khok Pho district, Yala's Muang and Raman districts as well as Narathiwat's Ragnae and Sungai Kolok districts. The stations suffered minor damage but no one was hurt.

A petrol station in Narathiwat's Rusoh district escaped damage when a bomb was detonated at the back of a toilet, out of range of a storage tank.

Officials managed to defuse two bombs located in Narathiwat's Tak Bai ferry and Sungai Kolok's district hall.

Police arrested an Indonesian from Sumatra as a suspect in Thursday's precision operation when more than 40 bombs blasted the three southernmost provinces, killing two people and wounding 25.

Zablee Ahmaeruding, 37, was taken into custody in Narathiwat's Rangae district.

About half a kilogram of ammonium nitrate and two kilos of nails believed to be materials for bomb-making were confiscated, police said. Zablee said he had nothing to do with the series of explosions. He settled in the district two years ago after marring a local girl and was working in a rubber plantation.

A combined police-military force raided a house belonging to Paosi Nisareh, also in Rangae district. Paosi was arrested together with four alleged accomplices in connection with Thursday's attacks. Police seized two pistols, two cars and currency worth Bt220,000.

Police accused Paosi of supervising and funding the four suspected operatives.

Police believe he is a middleman who takes money from masterminds to create trouble in the predominantly Muslim region as part of a war waged to separate the three southernmost provinces from Thailand.