A large-scale wave of violence swept the southernmost parts of Thailand, where separatist groups organized more than 30 synchronized attacks.
Local media describe the incidents as one of the most serious escalations of the conflict in recent months. The attacks began on Saturday evening and continued overnight, covering the provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani.
Coordinated chaos and arson
According to data from the national media Thai PBS (world.thaipbs.or.th), the attackers used homemade explosives and Molotov cocktails. The following became the object of terror:
- State and administrative buildings;
- 7-Eleven stores and 24-hour stores;
- Energy infrastructure (dozens of power and communication poles were blown up);
- Key thoroughfares where tires were burned and metal spikes were scattered to block security forces.
In Ra-ngae district, Narathiwat province, a group of about 30 armed men stormed a local government building. The attackers tied up the security guards, then set the building on fire and fled in a stolen company pickup truck, which was later found burned. According to Xinhua (english.news.cn), at least two people were injured in a car bomb explosion in the region.
Army announces emergency measures
The commander of the Fourth Army Region ordered the introduction of the highest level of alert for all military and police units in southern Thailand. The special tactical forces in Narathiwat immediately imposed a strict curfew. Residents of the affected areas were urged to stay home and fully cooperate with patrols.
Officials urged citizens on social media not to share videos or photos that reveal the tactical deployment and movement of law enforcement agencies.
A timeline of a decade-long conflict
Thailand's southern separatist conflict has deep ethnic and religious roots. The Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat regions are predominantly Malay Muslim, unlike the rest of the country's Buddhist majority. Since the resumption of fighting in 2004, the violence has claimed more than 7,800 lives.
The current escalation comes just days after government negotiators and the main rebel faction, Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), announced plans to resume peace talks in search of political consensus and administrative reforms.