YALA, Thailand: A car bomb killed at least one person and wounded another 15 in Thailand's violent deep south on Thursday, local hospital officials said.

The bomb was hidden in a pick-up truck and exploded in the morning in front of a public health office in Pattani province, damaging buildings, cars and motorcycles nearby, according to police.

The attack is the latest in the southern region that has been riven by a complex eight-year insurgency, waged without clearly stated aims and claiming thousands of Buddhist and Muslim lives.

Major Acra Tiproch, a spokesman for the heavy army presence in the area, said the attack was most likely in retaliation for the arrest of two core militant members on Wednesday. He said most of the victims were Muslims.