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YALA: Thailand yesterday vowed to pursue its offensive against militants as two bombs rocked provincial government buildings in the country's south following a night of deadly gun attacks.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had just returned from the strife-torn region, told reporters he was happy with the gover nment response to the latest unrest and vowed further crackdowns.

"Absolutely, I am satisfied with the incidents last night. Many were arrested. Next time it's our turn to be more offensive."

Two bombs rocked Yala province early yesterday, slightly wounding a government official. The explosives, which were placed under cars, hit a Yala provincial education office and a car park behind a provincial hall.

Later yesterday a 40-year-old Muslim, Maromlee Salae, was shot dead by suspected militants in Patae village of Yala province.

Those attacks came after 14 coordinated attacks overnight in Yala left five people dead, including two militants, in Yala and Pattani provinces.

One of the slain militants, Asumi Jarong, was wanted in connection with the unrest, and had a one million baht (RM899,000) bounty on his head, southern army commander Lt-Gen Kwanchart Klaharn told reporters.

Seventeen people had been arrested in connection with the overnight raids, he added.

Also during the night, the managing director of the local Thongtin Thai newspaper was shot dead in Narathiwat province.

Abdulloh Mama, 37, was shot five times in the town of Sungai Kolok by gunmen who had followed him in a pick-up truck. He was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

"Police have established two possible motives for the killing. Either it was a personal conflict or part of the unrest," police Col Somsak Rommayanon said.

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