18-10-2024 (BANGKOK) A series of three coordinated explosions rocked Thailand’s southern province of Narathiwat on Friday morning, leaving eight security officials injured and heightening concerns about ongoing insurgency in the region. The attacks, which occurred in Sungai Padi district, have prompted authorities to bolster security measures in the area.
The first blast was reported at approximately 6am on Highway No 4056 in Ban Kuwa village, Riko subdistrict. Two bombs, strategically placed at the base of electricity poles, detonated but fortunately caused no injuries, according to local police reports.
A second explosion followed at 7:39am, targeting a bridge leading to Ban Don He village in the same subdistrict. This blast resulted in minor injuries to five security officers travelling in a pickup truck, with most suffering temporary hearing impairment.
The final and most severe explosion occurred around 10am on a road near Ban Taling Sung village in Sungai Padi subdistrict. The explosive device, concealed beneath a tree roughly 500 metres from the 447th Border Patrol Police outpost, caused significant damage. The blast shattered windows of passing vehicles and injured three officers, who experienced hearing loss and chest tightness. These casualties were swiftly transported to Sungai Padi Hospital for treatment.
A high-ranking security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed strong suspicion that these seemingly coordinated attacks were the work of insurgent groups active in the region. In response to the incidents, explosive ordnance disposal teams and canine units have been deployed to investigate the three blast sites thoroughly.
The official emphasised that security measures in the area would be significantly enhanced to prevent future attacks. This move comes as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the long-standing insurgency in Thailand’s deep south, which has been a hotbed of separatist violence for nearly two decades.
The attacks serve as a stark reminder of the persistent security challenges facing Thailand’s southernmost provinces. The region, which includes Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala, has been grappling with a complex insurgency rooted in historical, cultural, and religious differences between the predominantly Muslim Malay population and the Buddhist-majority Thai state.
