OREANDA-NEWS  Six policemen and local residents were injured when a bomb exploded in southern Thailand, in Narathiwat province. This is reported by the local newspaper The Bangkok Post.

"In Narathiwat, a powerful explosion occurred in the Sungai Padi area. Police officers and villagers were injured (...). Currently, police officers are carrying out their main task — setting up checkpoints and barriers to ensure security," the newspaper reports.

The authorities blamed the incident on separatists operating in the south of the kingdom. Their conflict has been going on for more than 70 years, as armed groups try to achieve the separation of the region in order to create a sultanate in the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

Earlier, Thailand announced a ban on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in 14 provinces located near the border with Cambodia. It is emphasized that violating the ban threatens criminal liability — up to one year in prison or a fine of $ 1,235.