Man held over Yala market bombing
A MAN, identified as Nurading Arong, has been detained during a raid on his house in Pattani’s Yarang district over his alleged involvement in a deadly bomb attack on a Yala fresh food market.
Police also seized his mobile phone and collected his DNA before questioning him.
A bomb hidden in a motorcycle parked in front of a pork stall went off on Monday morning, killing three and injuring many others.
Yala commander Pol Maj-General Krissada Kaewjandee said yesterday that 13 witnesses had already testified in the investigation, and the authorities were examining potential escape routes for two suspects.
Security camera footage at the market showed that one suspect rode and parked a motorcycle containing a homemade bomb in front of the pork stall. A second told the first suspect where to park the vehicle.
However, police could not identify them as they were wearing helmets and face masks.
Krissada also revealed that two individuals had been invited for questioning but could not say whether they were involved in the attack. On Tuesday, combined forces raided a village in Pattani’s Nong Chik district and confiscated several bomb-making items.
Meanwhile, security at the fresh market in Yala’s Muang district will be tightened to avoid a reoccurrence of the violence. Traffic at Pimonchai Market has been reviewed to enable security officials to check people in and out of the area.
The tightened measures were agreed upon during a meeting with market vendors and officials on Tuesday.
Yala municipality Mayor Pongsak Yingchoncharoen said that vendors will be given stickers for their vehicles so that security officers can know who they are.
A second sticker will be issued to regular customers, Pongsak said. Customers would be eligible for these stickers only after the vendors guaranteed their identity.
Concerning the traffic around the market, the mayor said that there would be two entrances from Kwangchien Burana and Liaptang Rodfire Roads, while other routes would be only for exiting the area.
People who have no stickers could park their vehicles close to walls along Kwangchien Burana road and there will be officials to provide security for them.
The new traffic arrangement will be applied immediately while the stickers will be used soon, said the mayor.