A dozen bombs rattle Thailand's south injuring 6

THAILAND: Suspected Muslim insurgents exploded over a dozen homemade bombs at provincial government offices in Thailand's restive south on Thursday, minutes before a scheduled visit by the country's deputy prime minister, police said.

Three police officers and three civilians were injured by the series of explosions from about 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. (0130 GMT to 200 GMT), as people were arriving for work, said Boonyasit Suwanarat governor of Yala province.

Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit was due to visit government offices in Yala, one of Thailand's three Muslim-dominated provinces that have been gripped an insurgency that started in 2004 has left more than 1,300 people dead.

Five bombs exploded in provincial town offices and police stations in Yala; five other explosions occurred in neighboring Narathiwat province and three blasts were reported in Pattani province, Boonyasit said.

Bangkok, Thursday, AP