A motorcycle bomb exploded injuring one police officer in insurgency-ridden southern Thailand.

The blast ripped through the road near a police booth in Pattani province on the evening of October 30.

CCTV footage shows the improvised explosive being detonated along Highway 412 at 8:30 pm local time.

Police said the bomb was hidden in a motorcycle parked near the police outpost where seven officers were on duty.

The cops scrambled for cover as the explosion sent shrapnel flying. One policeman suffered minor injuries while four vehicles were damaged by the debris.

Explosive ordnance disposal teams recovered fragments of the improvised explosive device, which is believed to have weighed around 15 kilogrammes (33 pounds). The area was cordoned off as evidence was collected and CCTV footage reviewed to track down the two suspects.

The nearby Palas Market remained busy but locals said they were uneasy because of the incident.

Authorities said the alleged attack was likely carried out by insurgents aiming to sow fear and chaos in the restive southern border region, where attacks on security forces and government buildings are common.

Police Colonel Torlap Lengha, superintendent of Mayo District Police Station, said: ‘I have ordered investigators to urgently gather all evidence, including witness statements and CCTV footage, so we can quickly track down and arrest those responsible.

'This attack has frightened residents in Mayo's main economic area, where many commuters were passing at the time. We believe the perpetrators are a local group with a history of crimes, targeting officials to spread fear and create unrest.'

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.