Bomb blast at Thailand railway station

BANGKOK, Thailand -- An explosion at a railway station in southern Thailand on Saturday has killed a young boy and wounded more than two dozen other people.

Local television reports that three people were killed in a bomb blast at a railway station in Hat Yai, a major trading city, while local print reports state that only one person was killed.

No one has immediately claimed responsibility.

Police believe the explosion was caused by a bomb because after finding evidence of a timing device.

The explosion occurred when the station was crowded with people waiting for a train to Bangkok, 590 miles to the north.

Hat Yai Hospital said 27 wounded people were sent there, included the boy who died.

Police told a radio station the bomb had been planted in a bag left at the station's public information counter and exploded at about 2:24 p.m. (0724 GMT).

They said the bomb exploded just before the Sungai Kolok Bangkok express from Malaysia arrived 70 minutes late at the station.

"The explosion had nothing to do with the train or Hat Yai railway station," a Songkhla province police source said.

"This has happened before during the holiday season in the five provinces of southern Thailand."

The blast occurred in an area where there has been a lot of Muslim separatist activities and violence in the past.

Two people died in 1992 when a bomb exploded at the same station. Authorities suspect Muslim separatists were responsible that blast.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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