Army chief of staff orders manhunt after Narathiwat checkpoint attack kills five rangers

Gen Chaiyapruek Duangprapat, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Army and secretary of the Internal Security Operations Command, on Thursday visited Narathiwat after gunmen attacked the Bukeh Sami checkpoint in Tanyong Mat subdistrict, Ra-ngae district.

The attackers used firearms and threw pipe bombs at the checkpoint, killing five paramilitary rangers and injuring several civilians.

After arriving in the area, Gen Chaiyapruek called a meeting of security agencies to monitor the situation and assess response measures.

He instructed all units to increase operational vigilance and integrate proactive operations more intensively in order to track down the attackers and bring them to justice.

“I will have people hunt them in every village and every forested mountain area. Those who provide hiding places, and any country that provides hiding places, should know that we will pursue them to the ends of the earth,” Gen Chaiyapruek said.

“Those responsible should be careful when they eat, sleep or walk. The time has come for you to become the hunted.”