Bomb hits S Thai tourist town

The bombing came as funerals were prepared for those killed in protests

A bomb has exploded in a town in south Thailand, killing one person and injuring at least 20, reports say.

The explosion took place in the Muslim-dominated province of Narathiwat, where 78 people died in army custody this week following street protests.

The bomb went off in Sungai Kolok, a town popular with Malaysian tourists.

Tensions in the province have been running high, with Islamic separatist rebels swearing to avenge the protesters' deaths.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has promised an inquiry into the incident, but Muslim leaders have warned it will not be easy to assuage local anger at the deaths.

Many of those hurt in Thursday's explosion are said to have been in or near a bar in the centre of Sungai Kolok, a town frequented by tourists from nearby Malaysia.

However, it is not clear if the bar was the intended target - a police station and beauty parlour are also said to be nearby.

'Revenge' threat

A local police spokesman told Reuters news agency the explosion was probably caused by a time bomb.

"The bandit left a small plastic container behind the police station," Lt Gen Thanee Twidsi said.

Earlier on Thursday, police defused a fertiliser bomb found in Narathiwat town.

A separatist rebel group opposed to Bangkok's rule in southern Thailand, the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), had earlier vowed to avenge the protesters' deaths.

"They will pay for what they have done, their cities will burn," said a statement posted on the group's website.

Malay concerns

Villagers in the region have been burying some of those killed during protests at a police station in Takbai on Monday over the detention of six men accused of providing weapons to Islamic militants.

A mass grave has been dug in the province for those whose bodies have not been identified.

The government admitted on Tuesday that scores of detained protesters died after being packed into trucks for transportation to an army base several hours away.

Those released after the protests described how they were beaten by soldiers and forced to lie down in the trucks in layers as many as five people deep.

Seven protesters were also shot dead by security forces during the demonstration.

The incident provoked concern from several Muslim countries in the region, including Thailand's neighbour, Malaysia.

More than 400 people have died in southern Thailand in January in violence blamed on security forces and Islamic separatist rebels.