The attack prompted provincial Governor Pracha Therat to condemn the bombers. He said Allah punished those who committed violent attacks. The incident was additionally abhorrent as it targeted innocent people and came during the holy month of Ramadan.

The blast was detonated as five monks were on their morn-ing alms round. Military guards accompanied the monks.

The five to seven kilogram bomb exploded at 6.30am in front of an electronics shop on Chamroonnara Road in downtown Muang Narathiwat.

Police said the bomb had been hidden in a street refuse container and was likely detonated by mobile telephone.

The 13 injured soldiers, monks and civilians were taken to a nearby hospital.

Private Pramote Wannasuk, 22 from a Chon Buri-based special taskforce, died shortly after admission.

Three of five wounded monks from Wat Promniwat were in serious condition, police said.

Governor Pracha, a Buddhist, did not state who he thought was behind the attack but said violence was against all religious doctrine.

Security officials had already issued warnings about attacks during Ramadan.

Pracha noted it was too easy to plant bombs and acknow-ledged the device could have

been set hours earlier during an electricity blackout due to heavy rain.

Violence has rocked the deep South since the beginning of 2004 and killed more than 1,700 people. The government is struggling to restore peace.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said a day earlier on a visit to Indonesia he would

use the Aceh peace process as an example to contain violence in the restive south.

The military-installed gov-ernment said it would not rely on armed forces to end conflict.

Academic Ahmed Somboon Bualuang questioned how the government could learn from events in Aceh.

The Indonesian government knew it was dealing with separatists led by GAM. The Thai government remained no clearer about who was really behind the southern violence.

The Nation

Narathiwat