One policeman was killed and at least 31 others others injured following a suspected terror attack this afternoon in southern Thailand.

The blast ripped through a vehicle that had been parked outside the building in Narathiwat province at around 1pm local time on November 22.

Footage shows the aftermath with burning car next to the damaged building near the city's Nara Sikalai School.

Officials said that windows on the four-storey building used by police were damaged in the blast. They said a man covering his face and wearing clothing similar to a police uniform was seen driving a pickup with fake licence plates into the police flats compound shortly before the blast.

Islamic separatist terror attacks happen regular in the three southern most provinces of Thailand next to the border with hardline neighbors Malaysia. However, they rarely target civilians and are geared towards hitting Thai state employees and infrastructure.

The three provinces of Thailand - Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat - have been blighted by terrorism for several decades, dating back to a deal in 1909 between the British Empire to incorporate the Muslim region into the main country of Siam.

However, the area's culture is more similar to Malaysia and dramatically different to Buddhist Thais. Following years of tension, armed separatist groups emerged fighting for independence in the 1960s.

The struggle has continued ever since with more than 7,290 people killed between January 2004 and October 2021. There were an average of 38.8 incidents and 36.7 casualties a month in 2021, according to data from Deep South Watch.

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office warns against all but essential travel to the region while Canada's government warns its nationals to 'avoid all travel' to the three provinces.