PATTANI, Thailand – Insurgents staged a series of nearly three dozen co-ordinated attacks late Wednesday (April 10th) in the Deep South province of Pattani, including a bombing that killed two soldiers and wounded six other security personnel, local media reported.

Government offices and vehicles, phone poles, convenience stores and fishing boats were among the targets. However, all the casualties resulted from a single ambush: a car bomb that exploded in Panare district as security personnel passed, responding to the report of a shooting, AFP quoted police as saying.

Defence volunteers were threatened and tyres were torched on roads at nine spots, according to The Bangkok Post.

Thailand held its first official peace talks with southern insurgents at the end of March, meeting with representatives of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.

The tone was said to be cordial, and a further round was set for April 29th.

Nevertheless, violence in the Deep South has continued unabated. National Security Council (NSC) chief Paradorn Pattanatabut, who is heading negotiations, said Thai authorities would demand that BRN tells its militants to stop the bloodshed.

"Intensive talks will absolutely continue and I am compiling a list of violent incidents to present to them," he said.