Grenade lobbed at a woman's bedroom

After the explosion was reported at 3.30am, police officers and bomb squad members inspected the house in Tambon Noen Ngam’s Ban Keu Lae at 6.30am. They said the grenade had been aimed at the bedroom of Dalilah Hayeesamae, 25, who sustained slight injuries, though the blast left the room and roof damaged. 

Homeowner Ahama Hayeesamae, 55, said he heard a motorcycle stopping in front of the house and then revving off after the explosion. 

Police suspect that the attack possibly resulted from a personal conflict, but did not totally rule out insurgents’ move to create chaos in the violenceplagued region. 

Meanwhile, the national police chief has sent 1,000 members of the Arintharat 1 Special Operations Unit to provide security in Songkhla’s Hat Yai City during its “Midnight Songkran Hat Yai 2012” event, Provincial Police Region 9 deputy chief Pol MajGeneral Tanitsak Teerasawat said yesterday. The event kicked off on Wednesday and will wrap up today. 

The specialised unit will help security volunteers patrol the event venue, while combined security officials will man seven checkpoints around outer Hat Yai City and local police will man 45 locations in downtown areas, he said. Provincial Police Region 9 also has 10 fastmoving units on standby in case of violent incidents, he added. 

Security is being boosted after car bombs hit Yala and Hat Yai on March 31.