Fourth Army Area steps up manhunt over bomb and arson attacks on 11 petrol stations
Security forces have intensified efforts to track down suspects after near-simultaneous bomb and arson attacks hit 11 petrol stations in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat around 1am on Sunday.
Fourth Army Area commander Lt Gen Norathip Phoinok said authorities were stepping up the manhunt for those behind bomb and arson attacks on 11 petrol stations in the three southern border provinces, adding that local politics had not been ruled out as a possible motive.
Norathip, who is also director of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said soldiers, police and Provincial Administration Department officials were joining forces to track down the attackers.
At about 1am on Sunday, bomb and arson attacks were carried out almost simultaneously at 11 petrol stations in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.
Norathip said that while local politics had not been ruled out, authorities were giving greater weight to insurgent groups.
He said investigators believed the attackers were linked to the same movement responsible for a gold robbery in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district late last year.
“We believe they came from the same movement, but the attackers may belong to different cells,” Norathip said.
He added that Royal Thai Army commander-in-chief Gen Pana Klaewplodthuk had ordered the Fourth Army Area to intensify efforts to hunt down those responsible.
