In the southern provincial capital of Yala, five bombs went off, and a gun battle with Islamic terrorists left two policemen dead, and 17 civilians and three policemen wounded. One terrorists suspect was killed in the shoot out. One of the targets was a power station, which caused a local blackout. The other targets were a convenience store, a bank branch, a department store and a restaurant. The bombs went off at the same time, about 7 PM. In addition to the bombs, fires were set in some houses, a market and a factory. Earlier in the day, a bomb went off near a hospital, and two teachers were shot dead.
The government is buying 24,439 assault rifles and machine guns, and seven helicopters, to equip troops fighting Islamic terrorism in the south.