Six border patrol police officers on teacher protection duty were injured, two of them seriously, when a roadside bomb exploded in Than To district of Yala province on Friday morning.
The attack occurred at about 8.10am when an unknown number of attackers detonated an improvised explosive device targeting a teacher security patrol from the Border Patrol Police Company 442.
The blast occurred on the road between Pulor Saniyae and Sakai villages of tambon Ban Rae in Than To district, said police.
The force of the explosion injured six border patrol police officers. Two of them were seriously hurt. Pol Cpl Kittisak Saksaeng suffered shrapnel wounds to the face, while Pol Cpl Poraphat Wongruaydee had chest pain and was unable to move his body, although he remained conscious.
All injured officers were initially transported to Than To Hospital for treatment. Hospital officials later coordinated the emergency transfer of the two critically injured officers by helicopter to Yala Hospital, where medical teams were on standby to receive them.
Following the attack, security authorities sealed off the area and closed the affected route to allow an explosive ordnance disposal team and forensic officers to examine the scene.
Security measures have also been tightened, with officials maintaining close monitoring of the situation.
Authorities said further details regarding the damage, the motive behind the attack and efforts to apprehend those responsible remained under investigation.
