Analysts say separatist insurgents in the country's three southern Muslim-majority provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani bordering Malaysia were behind the attacks.
Tourist towns in the central south have for years been spared any spill-over of violence from the deep south and analysts say the government is loath to blame the coordinated bombings on southern Muslim insurgents because of fear of damaging tourism in the predominantly Buddhist country.
So far, two suspects have been arrested in connection with the tourist-town attacks.