At least five people were killed and more than a hundred wounded in two distinct problems in Thailand’s restive southwestern region on Saturday evening, authorities said.
The incidents occurred in the regions of Narathiwat and Pattani, where a long-running rebellion has claimed over 7, 000 lives since 2004.
A group of more than 10 armed attackers launched an assault outside the district office in Sungai Kolok, a town on the Malaysia-Thailand border, at around 7 pm local time ( 1200 GMT ).
According to the news agency AFP, the intruders fired blindly, threw munitions, and detonated explosives in a planned attack that killed two army volunteers and injured 12 people, including four citizens.
Sungai Golok assistant authorities chief Lt. Col. Nitti Suksang, quoted by The Star, confirmed that” a group of armed men in two four-wheel-drive cars attacked the Sungai Golok District Office, opening fire and throwing grenades at the military participants who were on duty”.
He further said that” two people of the army individuals died on the spot, while three others were severely wounded and five suffered gentle injuries”.
The wounded are now receiving treatment at Sungai Golok Hospital, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine the suspects and their intentions.
Later that night, at around 11 pm ( 1600 GMT ), a separate attack in Saiburi district, Pattani province, killed three people, including two local village assistants and a ranger guarding the area. A roadside bomb detonated while they were on guard, leaving one additional person wounded, regional authorities reported.
Following the attacks, Thai Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra said that security causes in the region would have to increase night guards to prevent further violence. ” The number of safety causes working day swings would certainly want to raise”, he told reporters on Sunday.
Thailand’s deep north, which was previously an independent dynasty before being annexed over a decade ago, remains a fight area where Muslim separatists have been fighting for greater autonomy from the Buddhist-majority country.
The region remains heavily policed by Thai security forces, but occasional attacks continue despite serenity deals.
Officials have yet to confirm whether the two assaults were linked, but studies are afoot in both regions.
