BANGKOK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Security has been beefed up as intelligence reports suggest possible violence in relation to the third anniversary of the Krue Se mosque incident in Thailand's southern province Pattani Saturday, Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS) said on Friday.

    Sonthi, also serving as Thai army chief, referred to the incident in which over one hundred local Muslim demonstrators and bystanders were killed after nine hours of violent clashes between the authorities and insurgents in Pattani. Of these, 32 persons were killed inside the historic Krue Se mosque after heavily armed security forces stormed into the worship site, according to Thai News Agency.

    Regarding further troop reinforcement in the region where 30 companies of recently recruited paramilitary rangers have since been dispatched, Sonthi said the issue is under consideration to determine the number of troops and budget allocation actually required on the ground.

    He added that the planned troop reinforcement will be forwarded to the government for approval soon.

    Meanwhile, a patrol vehicle carrying eight soldiers was hit by a roadside bomb in Pattani's Tung Yang Dang district on Friday. Noone was injured in the explosion, which was believed to be the work of insurgents who detonated the bomb by cell phone as the military vehicle drove by the area.

    A similar attack injured at least 13 soldiers on patrol on Thursday.