Pattani is tense as authorities conduct a fierce siege and gunfight in which a Sergeant from Border Patrol Police Unit 43 was killed after officers raided and surrounded a suspected house. The suspects, estimated to be at least two, fought back fiercely, initiating a loud gun battle. Recently, officers reinforced the frontline with armored vehicles.
At 05:30 on 16 March 2026, Lieutenant General Narong Tantisitthiporn, commander of the Pattani Task Force, received reports from a joint special operations unit in Pattani that they had surrounded an area in Village No. 6, Pakarusong Village, Tuyong Subdistrict, Nong Chik District, following intelligence of suspicious individuals—likely insurgents—hiding in the forest behind the village.
Upon receiving the report, reinforcements were requested to enter the area to conduct the siege, and local leaders were contacted to assist with negotiations.
However, at 09:30, while surrounding the suspected house, suspects inside opened fire with automatic weapons, forcing officers to take cover and return fire. The suspects then fled the house and ran into the rubber plantation forest at the rear of the village, where a continued gunfight lasted about 10 minutes. After the shooting ceased, one officer was found critically wounded and was quickly evacuated from the scene and rushed to Pattani Hospital.
Doctors provided emergency treatment as the officer had been shot in the forehead, suffering severe injuries and heavy bleeding, and he later died. The officer was identified as Sergeant Warathep Srisuwancha, assigned to Border Patrol Police Unit 43.
Subsequently, the Pattani Task Force commander coordinated for helicopter support from the Anothai Task Force to conduct aerial surveillance of suspect movements and continued engaging local leaders to negotiate the suspects' surrender.
Meanwhile, ground forces reinforced the encirclement of the forest area. During the siege, suspects inside the forest again fired at officers, resulting in a fierce gunfight with intermittent explosions. The clashes continued, prompting officers to deploy armored vehicles closer to the frontline. Authorities maintain the siege with ongoing return fire.
Investigations indicate the suspects number at least two and are believed to be the same group involved in a clash with authorities on 11 March, which resulted in one suspect being killed and the seizure of M16 rifles and two .38 caliber pistols. Officials believe this group is led by Mr. Jea-aree, an operational-level leader with a security warrant who moved from Yarang District to carry out attacks in the area. Intelligence also reports the suspects have moved improvised explosive devices in preparation for further unrest in the region.