Police urge public to be on alert for two modified vehicles in deep South

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2023

Yala police are urging the public to look out for two vehicles suspected to have been modified for use in a car bomb attack, likely targeting New Year celebration events in the deep South provinces.

Yala Police Station on Friday posted photos of the two vehicles on its Facebook page, urging people to call 191 if they spotted them.

The first vehicle is a white Toyota van, with an unknown licence plate, while the second one is a grey Toyota Soluna sedan, with a Bangkok licence plate of Por Por 4737.

The police also provided the serial number of the body of the second car as MR053AN5000055100, and engine serial number as 5AH745451, in case the suspects attempted to change the vehicle’s colour or licence plate.

Police urge public to be on alert for two modified vehicles in deep South

Police believed the two vehicles were likely hidden in Saiburi, Panare, Mayor, Thung Yang Daeng, Yaring, Yarang, or Muang districts of Pattani province.

The Facebook post on Friday came on the heels of an urgent letter of the Royal Thai Police on December 21, which said the two vehicles could be involved in insurgent attacks and required “special monitoring”.

According to the police, the van was used to transport insurgents responsible for an attack at a security checkpoint in Pattani’s Yarang district on August 28.

Meanwhile, the sedan was part of the convoy that was believed to have transported Azman Porlo, an insurgent leader and bomber, who was arrested on September 17 in Narathiwat province.