RTA condemns arson attacks on 11 petrol stations in Deep South

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) on Sunday condemned arson attacks on 11 petrol stations in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat in the early hours of Sunday, saying the attacks targeted civilian infrastructure and could not be justified by any ideology.

RTA spokesperson Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said the bomb and arson attacks, carried out at about 1am on Sunday, were inhumane acts that threatened public safety and civilian utilities, and were intended to spread fear and undermine peace in the region.

Winthai said the blatant violations of the law and inhumane attacks had severely and widely affected people’s safety and security in the Deep South.

The Army spokesperson stressed that such behaviour reflected an intention to use violence, which runs counter to the principles of peaceful means under international standards. He affirmed that violence in any form is not a solution and cannot be accepted.

“This was not a matter of ideology, but a deliberate unlawful act for which no legitimacy can be claimed,” Winthai said. “He therefore urged the violent group behind the incident to stop actions that pose a threat to society, and called on all sectors to reject those responsible and avoid providing any support—directly or indirectly.”

He also asked the public to cooperate with officials by providing tips to help track down and arrest the perpetrators for prosecution, in order to restore lasting peace to the area.

He said the RTA had ordered the Internal Security Operations Forward Command of the Fourth Army Area to control the situation and enforce the law to bring the attackers to justice as soon as possible.

He added that the RTA was also supporting other relevant government agencies to speed up compensation for those affected.