Bomb investigators inspect a car showroom in Yala’s Muang district yesterday after an explosion. Eight bombs went off simultaneously at different car and motorcycle showrooms in the province, injuring 13 people and damaging 20 vehicles.

In Yala, suspected militants planted bombs inside cars or near motorbikes in the showrooms of Honda, Nissan, Chevrolet, Mazda, Ford and Isuzu and two motorbike vendors.

Among the injured was 25-year-old Nooreesun Arwae, who had to undergo an operation to remove shrapnel from the left side of her brain. The left side of her face was also badly injured in the blast and her left arm broken. Chatchawal Dueramae, 31, was also critically injured by shrapnel that hit him in the chest. Yala's Provincial Police Superintendent, Maj-General Paithul Choochaiya, said the culprits are likely to be from the same group that planted bombs in 22 commercial banks on September 1.

The explosions also damaged six cars and scratched six others. More than 10 motorbikes were damaged.

Police believe the explosives were home-made and remotely detonated by mobile phones.

The general manager of Honda in Yala, Kachit Nakararuang, said at least 10 men pretending to be customers entered his showroom in groups of two and three shortly before it was bombed. While some of the men engaged sales staff, one man sat behind the wheel of a car - ostensibly to test the steering - before rushing out. Kichit said the bomb went off a few minutes later.

Another staff member at the Honda showroom said his colleague received a call on his mobile warning there was going to be an explosion minutes before the bomb went off.

Local business owners said they had been warned about a major attack but had no idea that car and motorcycle showrooms would be targeted. Almost all gold shops in Yala's Muang district had closed following the warning, while commercial banks had tightened their security.

Meanwhile, four people were killed in shootings in neighbouring Pattani province.

A 49-year-old construction business owner named Pairoj was shot dead in the morning while riding his motorbike home in Nong Chik district. His wife who was riding pillion survived the attack.

Later, Yarang Highway Department employee, Pirom Pinthong, 39, was found dead in front of Yarang Hospital. He had been shot six times.

Around the same time in Kapho district, at least six gunmen shot dead Abdulroning Surong, 46, and critically injured village headman Maroning Sani, 45, while they

were fixing the houses of local residents.

Earlier, on Wednesday night, rubber merchant Mahama Adnan Waha, 25, was shot dead while driving home in his car. Police said an unknown number of gunmen ambushed him while he passed a street in Mayo district.

Police believed Muslim insurgents were behind all of yesterday's shootings.

Violence has continued in the Muslim-majority South despite pledges from Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's interim government to make peace in the South a priority. More than 1,700 people have died since violence re-emerged in January 2004. 

The Nation

Yala