Special report: Army coup in Thailand

    

Thai soldiers and police inspect a bomb blast site in the troubled southern town of Pattani September 23, 2006. The small bomb exploded near a mosque in Pattani on Saturday, wounding four policeman providing security ahead of a royal visit, police said. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

BANGKOK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- A powerful bomb exploded Saturday in Thailand's southern province Pattani, injuring at least four policemen.

    The blast is the first violent incident occurred in the insurgency-plagued deep south after Tuesday night's coup, a local source told Xinhua.

    The explosion took place at a bus stop next to a gas station around noon in the provincial capital of Pattani, one of Thailand's three southernmost provinces where more than 1,700 people have died from bombings and shootings since the violence resumed in January 2004.

    The bomb was buried under the ground behind a shelter where people wait to take buses.

    The blast wounded four policemen posted nearby to guard security at the area.

    The bomb was buried in the ground two meters behind the shelter.

    Saturday's incident was the first violent act after a military coup led by Army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin and order commanders that has overthrown the caretaker government of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday night while the latter is out of the country.

    As Army Chief, Sonthi had been authorized by Thaksin full charge over the southern security affairs before the coup.

    The fact that Sonthi was the first Muslim army leader in Thai history was believed by many to have an advantage in restoring peace in the predominantly-Muslim deep south. Sonthi had proposed to hold talks with southern Muslim leaders, but the idea had been rejected by Thaksin.

    Sonthi's appointment as Chief of the Council for democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) has been endorsed by aRoyal decree.

    A spokesman of the CDRM announced on Friday that it will continue efforts to solve the violence in the three southernmost provinces Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

    Lt-Gen. Phlangkoon Klahan told a press conference Friday that the CDRM is prepared to support every religious activity, especially as the fasting month Ramadan for Thai Muslims is approaching and the Buddhist Lent is currently being celebrated in the country. Enditem

Thai soldiers and police inspect a bomb blast site in the troubled southern town of Pattani September 23, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>