Three troops were injured in a car bomb explosion in southern Thailand.

The soldiers were on duty when the blast tore through a defence outpost in Narathiwat, on Wednesday.

CCTV footage shows the massive explosion as a rigged Toyota Yaris was detonated in front of the camp. Smouldering debris rained down on the road as smoke drifted out of the wrecked base.

Police said three defence volunteers were rushed to Tak Bai Hospital with injuries.

Police Colonel Asri Tuanpheng, superintendent of Tak Bai Police Station, said: 'CCTV cameras at the Narathiwat Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center captured the bombing, showing the two perpetrators on a motorcycle fleeing the scene after the car exploded.'

The suspects reportedly left the rigged sedan to roll in front of the base before escaping. Other defence volunteers had tried to gun them down but they sped away on a motorcycle.

Police Major General Kritsada Kaewjandee, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 9, added: ‘We have ordered police stations across 13 districts to intensify their operations and be vigilant, as the suspects might seize the opportunity to commit more crimes in their area. 

‘We will set up checkpoints to inspect vehicles and suspicious individuals in order to prevent a similar incident from happening again.'

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.