BANGKOK, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- A patrolling ranger narrowly escaped from death as a roadside bomb planted by southern rebels exploded in Thai province Narathiwat on Thursday.
The bomb blasted on Thursday morning when five rangers were patrolling. Nobody died or were injured.
According to local reports, one of the rangers was only 10 meters away from where the bomb went off. Fortunately the blast wave went to a different direction towards the bushes along the road.
Police found a hole of 30 centimeters deep and 1.2 meters wide with remains of the bomb on the roadside. They said rebels had placed a bomb of 10 kilograms and detonated it by radio.
It's speculated that the explosion was launched by those with ill intentions to create disturbances in the south ahead of the New Year Festival.
Narathiwat has been weathering a restive week. Several checkpoints in the province were attacked by gunmen, a microwave tower was set on fire and roads were blocked by felled trees and burning tyres on Monday night.
Narathiwat is one of the Thailand's three southernmost provinces that have been haunted by gun attacks, bombings.
