Four explosions rocked Muang district of Pattani province early Thursday, causing some damage but no casualties, police said.
Thairath Online reported that three of the bombs were detonated in the provincial town's business centre. Pol Col Kirati Waeyu-so, the Muang district police chief, said they went off almost simultaneously at about 2am.
The first bomb exploded in front of the Isuzu Motors showroom on Nong Chik road in tambon Sabarang by the Pattani Vocational Training College. The impact shattered the front glass panel of the showroom.
The second went off in front of the Thanasin used-motorcycle dealer about 30 metres from the first bombing. The blast damaged the shop's iron-grille door. Glass windows of a 7-Eleven convenience store opposite the shop were broken by shrapnel.
The third explosion went off in front of Po Kijcharoen Kansura, a liquor shop, on Yarang road in tambon Jabang Tiko. The blast damaged the shop's front door and a car parked on a roadside. The bomb's impact also damaged three houses opposite the shop.
The first three spots are in the Pattani Municipality area.
The fourth blast occurred on a power pole on Bana-Laem Nok road in tambon Bana. The impact caused four poles to fall, one of them onto a pickup truck, damaging it.
Police said at least 10 men were involved in planting the bombs at the four spots, each with a homemade bomb weighing about 10 kilogrammes.
The explosions were followed by a power blackout in the municipality area. The lights came back in in about 30 minutes.
The authorities initially believed the explosions were the work of militants to cause disturbance.
The bombs might also be intended to be a retaliate action against the killings of four suspected militants in a clash in Thung Yang Daeng district on March 25, police said.