Thailand: Bomb blasts in Southern Narathiwat province Jan. 26

Event

On Saturday, January 26, two home-made bombs exploded in the southern province of Narathiwat. The first bomb detonated in the afternoon (local time) in Cho Airong district and reportedly targeted a pick-up truck carrying a team of rangers. The second explosive device detonated in the Tak Bai district when two motorcycles carrying soldiers were passing by. Apart from some material damage, neither of these two explosions resulted in any casualties.

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.