Insurgents launched coordinated attacks on gas stations and convenience stores in at least 17 locations across three southern border provinces, causing considerable damage.
Authorities reported that bombings and fires in Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani began Tuesday night and lasted until early Wednesday. At least three people were injured.
The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) said the insurgents intended to disrupt the region’s economy.
According to Isoc Region 4 deputy director Maj. Gen. Pramote Prom-in, all 17 locations were hit at almost the same time. Reports indicated that there were nine attacks in Narathiwat, six in Yala, and two in Pattani.
The attacks began in Yala province around 11:50 p.m. after insurgents launched a bomb inside a 7-Eleven store at a PTT gas station in the Yaha district.
Yala Pol Police Station Investigator Capt Sarayut Kochawong said the bomb had exploded after a man wearing a face mask and Muslim women’s clothing entered the store and left a black bag on the counter. The suspect told customers and store staff to get out if they didn’t want to die.
Around midnight, four men on a motorcycle threw a firebomb at a 7-Eleven store in Moo 2 village in tambon Bannang Sata. Fortunately, the fire caused little damage.
Another 7-Eleven store at Moo 4, tambon Po Seng in the Muang district, suffered a bomb attack.
Also around midnight, two more bombs went off at a Mini Big C store in Moo 2, tambon Kayu Boko, Raman district, and at a mobile phone signal tower in Moo 1 village.
The worst damage was recorded at a Bangchak gas station in Nong Chick, Pattani, as a bomb exploded around midnight and started a fire. The blaze spread to a Mini Big C store inside the facility, located in Moo 8 village, on Highway 43’s side, heading towards Hat Yai.
An oil tanker truck and two trailers parked at the gas station caught fire and sustained extensive damage.
Three fire trucks rushed to the scene and controlled the blaze after two hours.
In a coordinated attack approximately 30 minutes after midnight, a fire caused extensive damage to a Mini Big C store in Moo 5 village in tambon Nam Dam, Thung Tang Daeng district.
In Narathiwat, a 7-Eleven store at the PTT gas station at Moo 4 in tambon Bacho, Bacho district, caught fire at around 12:45 a.m. A delivery man was injured and taken to hospital.
Another 7-Eleven store at the PTT gas station in Si Sakhon district also caught fire, seriously injuring a 14-year-old boy and a 23-year-old woman.
Two more 7-Eleven stores and one Mini Big C store were attacked by arsonists at a gas station in Sungai Kolok and Cho Airong districts.
