In the latest outbreak of violence in Thailand's insurgency-battered deep south
One soldier was killed and three others injured in a predawn roadside bomb attack in Yala today.
Yala police said four soldiers were on a routine motorcycle patrol along the road parallel to the Pattani river in Yala town.
As the two motorcycles were about 300 metres off a checkpoint on a bridge, a bomb hidden at a roadside tree was detonated, knocking them onto the ground.
All were injured, two of them in serious condition.
The explosion alarmed security officials nearby.
They arrived with ambulances and explosive ordnance disposal team.
All the injured were rushed to Yala hospital centre where one soldier identified as Pvt Anon Saengnopparat died later at hospital.
Another is still in critical condition.
EOD police said the homemade bomb made of Picnic gas tank was detonated by remote control device.
Security officials were looking into CCTV cameras at the area to hunt down the insurgents.