A suspected terrorist bomb exploded leaving nine people injured in southern Thailand.

The blast struck a tea shop in Narathiwat, where policemen and civilians were having breakfast at around 8:50 am local time on Thursday.

Authorities said a 22 lb (10 kg) improvised explosive device had been hidden in a blue rubbish bin near the shop and was remotely detonated.

Footage shows debris and shrapnel scattered across the road, which was cordoned off for investigations.

The tea shop and a red Mitsubishi pickup parked across were peppered with shrapnel. Bloodstains and shattered glass were found in the vehicle.

Nine people, including three policemen who suffered chest tightness and tinnitus, were taken to Yi-ngo Hospital for treatment. Four of them were in serious condition and later transferred to Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital after being hit by shrapnel.

Police Major General Prayong Khotsakha, commander of Narathiwat Provincial Police, said: ‘We speculate that a member of an insurgent group carried out the attack, intending to target officials who regularly drink tea and coffee, which caused locals to be caught in the crossfire and injured as well.'

He added that investigations were ongoing to find potential suspects.

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.