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On Tuesday night (17th), a bomb attack occurred in Pattani province, southern Thailand. Armed assailants parked a motorized tricycle carrying an improvised explosive device (IED) outside a police checkpoint and detonated it, resulting in five police officers sustaining minor injuries and causing a fire that destroyed part of the building structure and several vehicles.
According to Thai media reports, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) reported that the incident took place at around 7:05 p.m. at a strategic police checkpoint in Thanam, Panare district, Pattani. This checkpoint is an important line of defense for protecting the safety of local Buddhists and Muslims.
Preliminary investigations revealed that several unidentified suspects drove a motorized tricycle loaded with explosives and parked it in front of the police booth. The suspects then quickly jumped onto another motorcycle waiting to pick them up and fled the scene before detonating the device.
The police officers on duty, using their quick thinking and experience, swiftly took cover, effectively minimizing casualties.
The five officers affected by the blast suffered minor symptoms such as ringing in the ears and were subsequently transported by rescue teams to Panare Hospital for treatment.
The explosion triggered a fierce blaze, affecting government vehicles parked outside the police booth. Local fire services responded and managed to extinguish the fire. Preliminary on-site inspections indicated that the front structure of the booth was damaged and several cars were destroyed.
As the incident occurred on a remote and poorly-lit stretch of road, and with concerns that the armed assailants might have set up a trap for a second wave of attacks, police immediately sealed off the scene that night. Bomb disposal experts (EOD) and forensic teams returned to the site on Wednesday (18th) to conduct comprehensive evidence gathering and investigation.
The Thai authorities have ordered all units to remain on high alert and set up roadblocks for strict inspections in the area. Police initially suspect that the attack was carried out by a local insurgent group in retaliation for the recent deaths of two suspected militants, who were killed by law enforcement during two clashes in Nong Chik district.
The Thai authorities strongly condemned such violent acts and called on the public to assist the police in building a secure defensive line. If anyone notices suspicious people or objects, they are encouraged to report to the Internal Security Operations Command hotline (1341) at any time.
The southern region of Thailand has long faced security threats. In June last year, a series of bombings occurred at a Red Cross fair in Pattani province. Three locations within the fairgrounds were hit in succession, resulting in seven injuries—including vendors and police—and over 15 booths were badly damaged.