NSC: petrol station attackers lack legitimacy; message sent to BRN
Thailand’s National Security Council condemns attacks on 11 petrol stations in the deep South, says perpetrators cannot claim to represent locals, and signals to BRN via Malaysia that violence is unacceptable.
Thailand’s National Security Council (NSC) issued a statement on January 11, 2026 following attacks on 11 fuel stations across the southern border provinces earlier the same day.
The NSC said the incidents had caused widespread disruption to public safety and everyday life, and had damaged the atmosphere of peaceful coexistence that people of all ethnicities and religions desire.
It called on those responsible to stop immediately, saying such actions cannot be used as a tool to create legitimacy or press demands. On the contrary, the NSC said, the attacks harmed local communities and demonstrated that the perpetrators have no legitimacy to claim they represent the people in the area.
As a national-level policy agency, the NSC said its top priority is protecting the lives and property of residents in the southern border provinces. It said it would closely oversee and monitor relevant policies, while supporting agencies in efforts to bring those responsible into the justice system as quickly as possible.
The NSC also reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful approach through the dialogue process. It said that on the morning of January 11, after the incidents, it communicated—through Malaysia as the facilitator—to the BRN as the dialogue counterpart, conveying the Thai government’s position that it does not accept violence that undermines people’s lives, as it runs counter to the principles of the peace process and efforts to build people-centred peace in the area.
