22-3-2024 (BANGKOK) Suspected insurgents carried out arson attacks across the three southernmost border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat overnight, as confirmed by the police on Friday.
In Pattani, four convenience stores located in Muang, Yaring, Yarang, and Khok Pho districts fell victim to the flames. Additionally, car tyres were set ablaze at three different locations – two in Khok Pho and one in Panare.
Leading the investigation, Pol Col Jeffrey Saimankun, the chief of Pattani’s Muang district police, responded to reports of a 7-Eleven convenience store in tambon Puyud being torched around 1 am. Firefighters and fire trucks rushed to the scene, taking approximately one hour to bring the fire under control.
According to the store employees, three armed individuals arrived, fired shots into the air, and threatened them before setting the place on fire and fleeing on a motorcycle. Evidence found at the scene included three cartridges and a bullet.
Following this incident, several other locations in Pattani, including convenience stores in tambon Bang Poo of Yaring and tambon Makrud of Khok Pho, were set ablaze. Car tyres were also burned on Na Pradu-Sai Khao road and another road between Sai Buri and Panare.
To prevent further attacks, combined teams of police, soldiers, and local officials set up road checkpoints in various areas to search suspected vehicles.
Reports indicate that insurgents caused chaos in numerous locations across 12 districts of the three southern border provinces.
In Yala, arson attacks targeted seven locations, including a furniture shop in Bannang Sata district, a power pole in Raman district, and a telephone signal pole in Yaha district. Car tyres were set alight, and metal spikes were scattered across several roads.
In Narathiwat, car tyres were burned in Bacho district.
Col Ekwarit Chobchuphon, spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4 Forward Command, reported that over 30 locations in Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala were targeted by assailants. One fatality was discovered at a new petrol station in Pattani.
A source at Isoc revealed that the deceased individual was a Myanmar woman employed at a convenience store within the petrol station compound in Pattani’s Mayo district. The attacks, totaling 39 incidents, occurred between 1 am and Friday morning.
Authorities suspect the attacks were orchestrated to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Tak Bai tragedy, following the Islamic calendar cycles during Ramadan. While the anniversary falls on October 25, the insurgents aim to disrupt the local economy, undermine public confidence in security forces, and sow unrest during the holy month of Ramadan, observed from March 11 to April 9 this year.
