Thread: Thailand Deep South Rocked By 17 Coordinated Bomb and Arson Attacks

Thailand’s Prime Minister has condemned the terrorists behind the coordinated bombing and arson attacks in the country’s deep south on Tuesday.


Explosions and fires have ripped through at least 17 locations in southern Thailand, in what appeared to be coordinated attacks that injured several people.


Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told a press briefing that security authorities in southern Thailand would hunt down those responsible for the brutal attacks.

The PM has ordered security authorities to accelerate their investigation so those behind these violent acts can be brought to justice as soon as possible. As of yet, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.


Major Gen Pramote Prom-in, deputy director of Internal Security Operations, said that the 17 locations were attacked almost simultaneously. There were two attacks in Pattani, six in Yala, and nine in Narathiwat, he reported.

The general declined to engage in speculation about the group behind these attacks. Instead, he said it would be more appropriate to wait until a formal investigation unravels the mystery behind the recent wave of fresh violence in Thailand’s Deep South.


Provinces in Thailand’s deep south along the border with Malaysia have seen a decades-long, low-level rebellion. The Thai government has battled groups seeking independence for the Muslim-majority provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Songkhla.


Historically, Muslim Thais in the south have complained of being treated like second-class citizens in a country dominated by Buddhism.


According to Deep South Watch, which monitors the violence, more than 7,300 people have been killed since 2004.


Thailand's Deep South Rocked By 17 Coordinated Bomb And Arson Attacks - CTN NEWS

Wonder what sparked that little flurry?

Possibly the opening of yet another 7-11 or PTT station? Striking at capitalist colonialism in its most visible manifestion.

Originally Posted by mudcat

Possibly the opening of yet another 7-11 or PTT station? Striking at capitalist colonialism in its most visible manifestion.

, yeah that would be it for sure.

Originally Posted by mudcat

Possibly the opening of yet another 7-11 or PTT station? Striking at capitalist colonialism in its most visible manifestion.

Or perhaps 17 of them.

Insurgents in Tuesday’s attacks seen wearing shirts bearing BRN flag

Two of the three southern insurgents allegedly responsible for torching one of the 19 targets, mostly convenience stores, in three southern provinces of Thailand on Tuesday night, wore the flag of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main insurgent group in the region, on their shirt sleeves.


CCTV images from a Mini Big C convenience store shows three men arriving at the store, one of whom, wearing all black and holding an assault rifle, stood guard outside the store while the other two, who were seen wearing shirts bearing the BRN flag, entered.


There were three employees inside and all of them were told to leave immediately. One of the suspects then splashed gasoline from a bottle onto the shelving and the other started a fire before they all left on motorcycles.


Thai military officers believe that at least 70 insurgents, in groups of 4-5 each, were involved in a coordinated attack on the 19 targets, mostly convenience stores, in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces.


The attacks occurred almost simultaneously and followed a similar pattern, with some groups throwing firebombs at their targets from motorcycles and others forcing their way into some stores and torching them. One gas station in Narathiwat province, however, was attacked using a remotely detonated IED (improvised explosive device).


One man was found dead in one of the burned-out convenience stores.


The Thai military said that the spate of attacks was intended to undermine the economy of the Deep South, as the stores are seen as an economic symbol.


More than 7,300 people have died in violence in the Deep South since 2004, when insurgent groups launched a violent campaign seeking self-determination.

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