08 Jan 2019 | 12:48 PM UTC
Thailand: Bomb explosions in Songkhla and Pattani provinces Jan. 8
Four people injured in two seperate bomb explosions in the southern insurgency-hit provinces of Songkhla and Pattani January 8 ; avoid the areas
Event
On Tuesday, January 8, four people were wounded in two separate bomb explosions in the Songkhla and Pattani provinces. In Songkhla, a car bomb detonated in Ban Nikhom, near a security post, injuring two soldiers. In Pattani, a bomb exploded at Ban Pong Sakhor, where a school protection team was located, wounding two more people. Further such attacks are possible in the coming days.
Context
An ethnic and religious separatist insurgency is ongoing in the four southernmost provinces of Thailand - Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala - which make up the historical Malay Patani region and are located in the extreme south of the country along the Thai-Malaysian border. Since 2001, over 7000 people have been killed (e.g. local residents, civil servants, security personnel, militants) and many more wounded in near-daily clashes and assassinations.
Advice
As a reminder, some Western governments advise against nonessential travel to Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and the south of Songkhla. Individuals in these areas should remain cautious and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.
