Thaksin cancels foreign trip after bomb blast

Thaksin cancels foreign trip after bomb blast

Associated Press Sungai Kolok, Thailand

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra canceled a trip to Europe and met with top security officials on Sunday after a bomb outside a bar in southern Thailand injured 28 people, including 10 Malaysian tourists, officials said.

The bomb exploded Saturday night in a tourist district in Sungai Kolok, a town on the border with Malaysia.

Thaksin summoned the defense minister, army commander and others to his Bangkok residence to discuss the latest incident in the violence-plagued south.

He canceled a planned trade promotion trip to Germany and Hungary beginning Sunday night.

Thai officials have blamed Muslim separatists for the violence, although no one has claimed responsibility.

Police and medical officials said 28 people were taken to a hospital with injuries, and at least three were in serious condition. Seven Malaysians were still hospitalized Sunday and three had been discharged.

Deputy Health Minister Sirikorn Maneerin visited the hospital on Sunday to express the government's sympathy to the victims.

A wave of violence has swept Thailand's deep south since Jan. 4, when unknown attackers raided a military armory, killing four soldiers and stealing hundreds of assault weapons while confederates set fire to 21 nearby state schools.