Thailand: Twin bombing wounds five soldiers in Narathiwat June 2

Event

Police officials said that at least five soldiers were wounded in a double bombing in the Tak Bai district of Narathiwat on Friday, June 2. The first attack targeted a group of soldiers at approximately 09:00 (local time) near the Narathiwat Coastal Fishery Research Centre. A bomb hidden inside of a motorcycle exploded as they parked their truck by a bridge. About 30 minutes later, a second explosive device detonated near a security checkpoint that was set up after the first blast. Officials said both devices were remotely detonated.

Context

A separatist insurgency in Thailand's three Muslim-majority southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat has claimed more than 6800 lives since it erupted 13 years ago, with both militants and Thailand's military accused of human rights abuses. Low-intensity bombings and assassinations often occur in the area, which is heavily patrolled by soldiers and police. Thailand annexed the three southernmost Muslim Malay provinces more than a century ago.

Advice

Individuals present southern Thailand are advised to avoid the bomb site until the situation normalizes. As a reminder, most Western governments advise against nonessential travel to Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, as well as the province of Songkhla and areas along the Cambodian and Burmese borders due to the presence of armed militias.