Bombs exploded Sunday at an airport, department store and hotel in a region of southern Thailand gripped by an Islamic insurgency, killing at least two people and injuring more than a dozen, officials and media reports said.

The explosions in Songkhla province's Hat Yai airport killed two people and injured at least 15, provincial Gov. Somporn Chaibongyang said.

Witnesses said the explosion occurred near the airport's check-in counters, and all departing flights were immediately canceled. However, an airport official later said departures were continuing.

Somporn told reporters that five other people were hurt by a bomb at the Carrefour department store in Hat Yai, the biggest city in Thailand's far south.

The Thai ITV television network said two people were killed at the store, which is part of a French-owned chain.

A third bomb was detonated in the city of Songkhla, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand not far from Hat Yai, but the governor had no reports of casualties.

Police said that bomb was placed on a motorcycle in front of the Dream World Hotel and was detonated by remote control at about 8:30 p.m. �� about the same time as the airport blast. There were no reports of casualties.

Gen. Chaiyasit Shinawatra, the Thai military supreme commander, confirmed the bombings and said security officials had been put on high alert.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Thailand's far south has been wracked by violence since January 2004, with many shootings and small bombings carried out by suspected Islamic separatists.

Source: Agencies