The 2007 South Thailand bombings were a series of bombings that hit

Narathiwat Narathiwat ( th, นราธิวาส, ) is a town (thesaban mueang) in southern Thailand and capital of Narathiwat Province. The town is in the Mueang Narathiwat District and was established in 1936. As of 2008, the population was 40,521. ...

, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala during the Chinese New Year celebrations on 18 and 19 February. At least seven people were killed. The bombings were the first time the rebels had simultaneously struck all four southern provinces. The attacks on Sunday and early Monday targeted mostly residential and business establishments owned by

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

s or ethnic

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

Attacks

The synchronised bombings targeted hotels, karaoke bars, power grids and commercial sites. Two public schools were torched. Then head of the Thai government, junta chief

Sonthi Boonyaratglin Sonthi Boonyaratglin ( th, สนธิ บุญยรัตกลิน, , ; born 2 October 1946) is a Thai former Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army and former head of the Council for National Security, the military junta that ruled the ...

and his Interior Minister Aree Wongsearaya admitted that they knew in advance that attacks were going to take place, then failed to prevent them taking place. In nearby

Narathiwat Province Narathiwat ( th, นราธิวาส, Malay: Menara) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Yala and Pattani. To the south it borders the Malaysian state of Kelantan a ...

, at least one person was killed and 10 were wounded in blasts at five karaoke bars in the border town of Sungai Golok. Local schools and mosques in Narathiwat were also burnt. Over 10 bombs exploded in Yala province injuring at least 23 people in and around Yala's provincial capital, according to a witness at the main hospital. Local officials ordered Yala residents to stay home to avoid more bomb attacks during night. In Pattani Province, police radio said Pattani's provincial capital fell dark after a bomb knocked out a power station.

Suspects

It is assumed that the south Thailand insurgency carried out the attacks. No group took responsibility for the bombings.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Thailand Bombings, 2007 South Thailand insurgency Terrorist incidents in Thailand in 2007 Narathiwat province Pattani province Songkhla province Yala province Arson in Asia Improvised explosive device bombings in Thailand Islamic terrorism in Thailand Religiously motivated violence in Thailand Mass murder in 2007 2007 crimes in Thailand Attacks during the New Year celebrations Anti-Chinese violence in Asia February 2007 events in Thailand

Attacks

Suspects

See also

Notes