Thai PM convenes security meeting after wave of attacks in south
Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met security officials after 51 coordinated attacks overnight in three southern provinces, linked to a long-running Muslim insurgency.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held an emergency meeting with senior security officials on Sunday after a coordinated wave of overnight attacks struck three southern provinces. The meeting took place shortly before he flew north to inspect flood damage in Nan province, another crisis currently facing the government.
On Saturday night, 51 separate incidents were recorded across Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces. Attackers avoided direct confrontation with military or police units. Three civilians were reported wounded and were said to be recovering by Sunday. Most of the violence involved small bombs, arson and property damage.
The most notable incident targeted a 7-Eleven store in Pattani, where footage circulating online showed armed men forcing customers and staff to flee before the store was set alight. In Narathiwat, an explosion damaged railway tracks, forcing the suspension of local and long-distance train services for an undetermined period.
No group has claimed responsibility, but such attacks are typically attributed to the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani (BRN), the main insurgent organisation in the region and the group with which Thailand's government periodically holds peace negotiations. Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala are the only Muslim-majority provinces in predominantly Buddhist Thailand, and the BRN has demanded self-rule for the area. Muslim residents have long reported being treated as second-class citizens.
According to the Deep South Watch research centre, 7,837 people have died in the conflict over the past 22 years. The most recent major flare-up occurred in July, when attackers opened fire on a security checkpoint in Narathiwat, killing five paramilitary soldiers. Independent security analyst Don Pathan said BRN's attacks are largely intended as leverage in negotiations with Bangkok, meant to showcase capability rather than maximise casualties.
