Three bombs have gone off simultaneously along railways in Thailand's Muslim-dominated deep south, local press reported on Friday.

The three blasts occurred between 6:15 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. local time Thursday morning along railway tracks in the three southern provinces of Songkhla, Pattani and Yala, which lied some 1,000 km south of Bangkok, the Bangkok Post said.

The bombings caused only light damage to the railway tracks, but they are believed to aim at local officials and policemen on routine railway security check.

The attacks however prompted authorities to suspend all trains from Songkhla to the three southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat from 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. The railway service will beresumed on Friday.

Passengers to the three southern provinces were forced to resort to buses or to cancell their trips, while authorities vowed to strengthen security along the southern railways that see 23 trains run between various stations.

Since the beginning of this year, the kingdom's southernmost stretch has fallen into spiraling violence that has claimed more than 500 lives. Revived local seperatism movement is believed to be behind the attacks.

Chronic attacks targeting southern railways took place in March,but the attacks did not last long after the authorities beefed up security along the tracks.

Thursday's explosions took place just four days after the Thai government air dropped 120 million paper birds into the violence-plagued deep south.

The paper birds folded by Thais all over the kingdom were expected to bring the southern locals peace and good will.

Source: Xinhua