One soldier has been killed and five others injured in an explosion in Thailand's deep south this morning.

The troops from the Suriyothai Control Headquarters were travelling along Highway 42 in Pattani province to pick up items from another military base when their truck was hit by the blast at around 9 am on August 3.

The driver, Sergeant Suphakorn Sirisathien, was killed, while five others were injured in the explosion.

The truck was unable to continue the journey, and the wounded soldiers were rushed to a hospital.

Officers believe the bomb was planted by insurgents along the route.

Islamic separatist terror attacks target the three southernmost provinces of Thailand - Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat - next to the border with Mulsim neighbors Malaysia. Thai state employees and infrastructure are often hit while attacks on civilians are rare.

Officials believe the conflict dates to a deal in 1909 that the British Empire struck to incorporate the Muslim region into the Siamese mainland.

The region's culture is more similar to Malaysia and dramatically different to Buddhist Thais causing decades of tension that lead to the emergence of separatist groups fighting for independence in the 1960s.

The struggle has continued ever since with more than 7,344 people killed and 13,641 injured between January 2004 and March 2022.

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.