Car bomb attack hits Pattani hotel

Another powerful car bomb rocked the deep South Tuesday, this time near the CS Pattani Hotel in Muang district.

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Photos by Post Today photographers show the damage done at the back of the CS Pattani Hotel in the second car bomb attack against the luxury hotel in four years.

Car bomb attack hits Pattani hotel

POST REPORTERS

Another powerful car bomb rocked the deep South Tuesday just hours after the government announced plans to establish a new command centre in Bangkok to deal with the violence.

The blast occurred near the CS Pattani Hotel in Muang district about 6.50pm, injuring an unknown number of people.

The blast severely damaged parts of the hotel located on Nong Chik Road and at least one car parked nearby. It also caused a blackout which forced the hotel management to evacuate its guests as it was plunged into darkness.

Eyewitnesses said a number of people were injured by the impact of the explosion which was being investigated by security forces late Tuesday night.

They were also combing the area around the hotel in case another bomb had been planted.

Pattani governor Theera Mintrasak said the bomber drove an Isuzu pickup truck laden with around 50kg of explosive and parked it outside the back gate of the eight-storey hotel, which was unguarded.

A nearby power transformer was destroyed in the blast, cutting electricity to the hotel. The powerful blast also shattered the hotel windows.

The hotel kitchen which was facing the blast site caught fire, which quickly spread to the upper floors of the hotel. Firefighters took more than an hour to control the blaze.

One hotel guest on the seventh floor sustained a minor hand injury and at least three hotel staff members were injured by shattered glass.

Investigators sent to the scene said the air near the hotel smelled of benzene. Two vehicles belonging to residents were also damaged in the blast.

Mr Theera said luckily there were only a few houses near the back of the hotel close to where the explosion took place. Police were checking footage from a CCTV camera attached to a pole close to where the transformer was located.

About a half hour after the bomb blast, two other power transformers exploded in different locations in downtown Pattani.

The explosions caused a blackout in many parts of the Muang district.

Pattani senator Anusak Suwanmongkol, the hotel's owner, said in an interview with ThaiPBS the bomb blast and resulting fire had severely damaged parts of the hotel.

It was the second time the hotel has been hit by a bomb. The first blast occurred in 2008, killing two people.

luxury – the best and most expensive of something ที่หรูหรา
rock – to shock, surprise, or frighten someone ทำให้ตกใจ, ทำให้สั่นสะเทือน
establish – to start a company or organisation that will likely continue for a long time สถาปนา, ก่อตั้ง, จัดตั้ง
command centre – the place from where security forces for a particular area are commanded or controlled กองบัญชาการ
deal with – to take action to solve a problem รับมือกับ, จัดการกับ
violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง, การใช้กำลังทำลาย
blast – an explosion การระเบิด
injure – to hurt or cause physical harm to a person or animal ทำให้บาดเจ็บ, ทำร้าย
severely – very seriously อย่างรุนแรง
blackout – a sudden loss of electrical power ไฟดับ
evacuate – to cause to leave a place because it is not safe เคลื่อนย้ายออกจาก
plunge into darkness – to cause to be suddenly dark, usually because of a loss of power
eyewitness – someone who sees something happen พยานในเหตุการณ์
impact – the force with which one object hits another แรงกระแทก
investigate – to try to find out the facts about something in order to learn the truth about it ตรวจสอบหาความจริง
comb – to search a place or an area very carefully in order to find something ค้นหาอย่างละเอียด
plant – (of an explosive) to hide in a place where it can be exploded ฝัง
laden – carrying something heavy, or supporting the weight of something heavy  บรรทุกสิ่งของหนัก
unguarded – not protected or watched ไม่มีการป้องกัน
transformer – a piece of equipment that changes the voltage of a flow of electricity หม้อแปลง
shatter – to break into many pieces แตกกระจาย
site – a place where something happened  ที่เกิดเหตุ
spread – to gradually affect or cover a larger area แพร่กระจาย
blaze – a large fire that cause a lot of damage เพลิง
sustain – to experience, injury, damage, loss, etc. ประสบกับ (ความสูญเสีย การเจ็บป่วย)
minor – not important; small; having little influence or effect เล็กน้อย
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
(CCTV) footage – video from a CCTV camera ภาพหรือหนังในเทปวิดีโอจากกล้องวงจรปิดเพื่อรักษาการความปลอดภัย
pole – a long thin stick, or piece of wook, often used for holding or supporting something  เสา, หลัก, คาน