Rail services suspended after three volunteers killed
One of Thailand's most violent train attacks erupted in Narathiwat's Rusoh district yesterday morning, with a bomb killing three security volunteers and injuring 14 other victims.
Rail services in the deep South are now suspended in the wake of the bombing, which clearly targeted security volunteers on the train.
Volunteer Thanakorn Khunkaew was killed at the scene inside a compartment used as rest area for security volunteers.
Two other volunteers, Suksawas Ruangnam and Prasarn Chatree, succumbed to their injuries later at a hospital. Two more volunteers were also injured and taken to hospital.
Of the 15 injured, only seven had been allowed to go home as of press time.
Tanyongmas Train Station chief Manop Muenpreecha said 14 daily trains to and from Sungai Kolok would be suspended until the derailed train carriages were removed, train tracks repaired, and security measures improved.
Explosives used in the attack weighed around 90 kilograms, according to officials. The blast left a hole as wide as two metres, and as deep as 1.5 metres.
“Railway officials are demoralised,” Tanongsak Pongprasert, head of the State Railway of Thailand’s southern office said yesterday.
The explosion hit Train 435 on the Yala – Sungai Kolok route.
Narathiwat’s deputy police chief Colonel Banleu Choowate said an ongoing investigation suggested Rorpae-ing Useng, a suspected key insurgent, masterminded yesterday’s train sabotage.
Rorpae-ing is wanted for many other security cases.
“We will nail down this suspect,” Banleu said.
He said locals are reluctant to provide tip-offs to officials because Rorpae-ing is said to be quick at killing suspected informers without warning.
Tanongsak said he would have a meeting with security officials to discuss safety measures for trains.
Rail services in other parts of the South continued as usual yesterday but with beefed-up security.
Each train now has at least 10 security volunteers.
The train sabotage took place one day after a motorcycle bomb exploded in Yala’s Muang district, killing one woman and injuring 33 victims.
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