Bombs explode on Thai beach, famous Golden Mermaid statue damaged

Two small bombs have damaged sculptures at a popular Thai beach in Songkhia province.

People take photos with the Golden Mermaid statue on the beach in Songkhla. The statue has been damaged by a bomb blast. Source: Getty Images

Police in Thailand are investigating two small bombs, one of which damaged an iconic statue on a popular beach in the country's south.

Police in Songkhla province say they're looking into whether the bombs were related to a Muslim separatist insurgency that has wracked nearby provinces since 2004, taking almost 7000 lives.

The Golden Mermaid statue, which is an unofficial symbol of the province, was damaged by one bomb. The other took place about 300 metres away, near the beach's Cat and Mouse sculpture.

The insurgency has mostly affected the three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, which have Muslim majorities in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.

The Golden Mermaid statue, is an unofficial symbol of the province, was damaged by one bomb. Source: Getty Images

Songkhla, with substantial Muslim population, has generally been spared the violence though the provincial capital of Hat Yai has suffered several bombings.