Thailand: 2 monks killed by roadside bomb

BANGKOK, 16th May: Two Buddhist monks were killed and two soldiers seriously wounded in a roadside bomb explosion in southern Thailand early today, police said.

The attack occured around 6 am local time when six soldiers were taking two monks to collect alms in Yaha district, Yala province, the Thai News Agency (TNA) quoted police as saying.

The two monks died at the scene, and two injured soldiers were rushed to Somdej Phra Yupparaj hospital for treatment, TNA said.

Police said the bomb was a homemade explosive device built into a cooking gas cylinder hidden on the roadside.

The bomb was attached to an electric detonation wire over 100 metres long extending into the nearby roadside forest, and that it was triggered manually using a battery.

Police blamed separatist militants for the attack.

More than 4,000 have been killed by suspected separatists since January 2004 in three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and some parts of Songkla province.

Thai-Cambodia border dispute spreads east

Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed on Tuesday afternoon in the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple on the border in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province, and again on the border in Surin province.

The fighting began about 1.30pm, with sounds of fierce exchanges involving both small arms and heavy weapons, local reports said.

Continuous gunfire could be heard from the area near Wat Kaew Sika Khiri Savara, around the Preah Vihear temple and Phu Makhua.

The violence reportedly erupted after Cambodian soldiers at Wat Kaew Sika Khiri Savara opened fire at a Thai F16 fighter which was flying along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Second Army spokesman Prawit Hookaew said 10 Thai soldiers were wounded in an earlier clash today on the border in Surin province.

Col Prawit said the fighting occurred between 3.20am and 5am, when Cambodian soldiers tried to capture Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom temple ruins but were repulsed.

Renewed fighting was reported in the afternoon as the two sides exchanged heavy fire near Ta Muen Thom temple from about 3 pm. Clashes were also reported near Ta Kwai temple and Chong Krang border pass in northeastern Surin province.

There were no reports of death or injuries from either side. In late afternoon  the sound of artillery fire was still being heard.

Thai soldier killed in Cambodia clashes

At least one soldier has been killed in fresh clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border on Saturday, bringing the total number of deaths to eight on both sides.

The latest casualty comes on the second day of the worst bloodshed since the United Nations called for a ceasefire in February.

Witnesses said the latest clash began before dawn west of Ta Krabey in the Dangrek Mountains and lasted several hours. By afternoon, heavy shelling had stopped but small-arms fire could be heard.

On Friday Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged gunfire and artillery shells, shattering a two-month lull in long-standing tensions over their disputed border.

Read full report at AlJazeera News