Narathiwat railway bombing prompts Southern Line service changes
One timed bomb damaged the track near Marubo Station and two others were placed by a power pole. SRT revised services while EOD and forensic officers continued inspections at 40 sites.
- A bomb attack in Narathiwat's Ra-ngae district damaged the railway track between Marubo and Tanyong Mat stations, rendering it impassable.
- In response, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) suspended all train services on the Southern Line section between Tanyong Mat and Su-ngai Kolok stations.
- Multiple long-distance trains were forced to terminate their journeys early at stations such as Yala and Tanyong Mat before returning along their routes.
- Officials expect to repair the track and restore normal train operations within one to two days of the incident.
Bomb-disposal officers operating in the southern border provinces joined an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit from Narathiwat Provincial Police, Narathiwat forensic science officers and a sniffer-dog team on Monday (August 24, 2026) for an 11am inspection of the railway bombing site at kilometre marker 1,090.
The site was on the section between Marubo and Tanyong Mat stations in Moo 1 of Maruebo Tok subdistrict, Ra-ngae district, Narathiwat.
It was one of 40 locations where attackers had planted bombs on the night of Saturday (August 22).
The incident prompted the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to announce the suspension of all train services from Sunday (August 23).
Before reaching the site, officers walked cautiously for about 1km along the railway from Marubo Station.
They determined that attackers had planted three timer-activated improvised bombs in picnic gas-cylinder containers, with a stated weight of 25kg.
One had been placed on the track and damaged two concrete sleepers and tore the rail, preventing all trains from passing.
The other two had been placed at an electricity pole beside a road running parallel to the railway, about 50 metres away, but the pole did not collapse.
Officers collected evidence at the scene, where at least six people were believed to have taken part in the attack.
The SRT revised Southern Line train operations following the bombing between Marubo and Tanyong Mat stations at kilometre marker 1,090.
The changes were to remain in place until officials repaired the track and restored normal operations within one or two days.
- Train 452, from Su-ngai Kolok to Nakhon Si Thammarat, reached Tanyong Mat before returning to Su-ngai Kolok as special passenger train 2541.
- Train 37, from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Su-ngai Kolok, departed its origin on Saturday and reached Marubo. It then returned to Yala as special passenger train 2542 and operated as train 38 from Yala to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.
- Train 985, from Bangkok to Su-ngai Kolok, departed its origin on Saturday and reached Lalo. It then returned to Yala as special express parcel service 2545 and operated as train 986 from Yala to Bangkok.
- Train 447, from Surat Thani to Su-ngai Kolok, reached Yala and was being prepared to operate as train 448 from Yala to Surat Thani on Monday (August 24, 2026).
- Train 463, from Phatthalung to Su-ngai Kolok, reached Yala before returning as train 464 from Yala to Phatthalung.
- Train 451, from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Su-ngai Kolok, reached Yala before returning as train 452 from Yala to Nakhon Si Thammarat.
All services from Tanyong Mat as far as Su-ngai Kolok Station were suspended.
An inspection at Tanyong Mat Station in Ra-ngae district on Monday found that residents were arriving steadily to return tickets or reschedule their journeys.
Some people were unaware that services from Su-ngai Kolok were terminating at Tanyong Mat.
They arrived with luggage intending to travel but had to leave disappointed.
Similar scenes continued at the other seven stations between Tanyong Mat and Su-ngai Kolok, where residents came to return tickets or reschedule their journeys.
However, EOD officers and forensic science officers from Narathiwat were jointly inspecting the scenes of bombings and arson attacks carried out at 40 locations across all 13 districts on the night of Saturday.
Inspections had been completed in only five districts—Bacho, Rueso, Si Sakhon, Mueang Narathiwat and Ra-ngae—covering 19 locations.
Officers were gradually inspecting the remaining 21 locations in eight districts on Monday.
The locations and routes passing through them had been cordoned off to protect members of the public who might be endangered while travelling through the areas.
In the latest development in the investigation into the attacks at 40 locations across Narathiwat’s 13 districts on the night of Saturday, officers examined CCTV footage alongside evidence collected at the scenes.
They detained one man on suspicion of involvement in an attack in Cho-airong district.
CCTV footage recorded the suspect as he smashed a camera mounted on a roadside electricity pole in Ban Kue Rong, Moo 3, Chuap subdistrict.
The location was one of three sites where the attackers had allegedly arranged to split up and carry out their operations at about the same time.
The suspect was taken to a questioning centre in Narathiwat for further questioning to expand the investigation.
He denied the allegation, although the camera he smashed had clearly recorded his actions.
