Gunmen dressed in black fired shots into the air to clear people from the area before planting bombs at two gas stations in Yaring and Sai Buri districts, causing damage and injuring two. The incident is suspected to be the work of disruptive groups aiming to create unrest.
Unknown numbers of gunmen stormed gas stations along Highway 42 Pattani–Narathiwat in Sai Buri and in Yaring districts, Pattani Province, before planting bombs that caused fires and damage at both stations, injuring two people.
On the morning of 29 June 2026, Police Colonel Theerapot Yindee, Superintendent of Sai Buri Police Station, Colonel Nattawut Srisang, Commander of Task Force 44, and bomb disposal and forensic teams inspected the scenes inside the gas stations. They found severe damage: the station roofs had collapsed, all eight fuel pumps were destroyed by the blast and fire, and bomb fragments and pump debris were scattered around. Authorities collected the evidence.
The injured were identified as Mr. Aliya Awe, 38, a cashier with wounds on his head, chest, and right thigh, and Ms. Rifhan Awapute, 24, a Fresh Mart shop employee at the station, who suffered chest tightness. Both were taken to Somdej Phra Yuparaj Sai Buri Hospital.
Investigations revealed that while the station and its shops were operating normally, 7-8 gunmen on four motorcycles carrying two sacks entered the station and forced employees, security guards, and customers to leave the area. The gunmen then placed bombs at the fuel pumps and fled before detonating them.
This station had previously been targeted three times: first on 20 May 2018, when gunmen bombed an ATM; second on 4 August 2019, an attempted ATM bombing failed and the bomb was removed by the attackers; third on 25 December 2020, when attackers set fire to a rice straw truck at the station. This recent attack is the fourth. Investigators believe it was carried out by suspects wanted on security-related warrants.
At the damaged gas station in Yaring district, Police Colonel Lukman Bako, Superintendent of Yaring Police Station, and officials inspected the scene. They found heavy damage to the fuel pump canopy, pumps, and structural elements caused by the blast. Shops and a prayer area within the station were also damaged.
Additionally, bomb fragments were scattered around, and numerous caltrops were found on the road approaching the station. Authorities collected these as evidence.
Investigations showed the incident resembled the first attack: over 10 gunmen with covered faces and military-grade weapons stormed the station, shouting for employees and customers to evacuate. They placed an approximately 15-kilogram improvised explosive device in the station's center, soaked the area with fuel from the pumps, then detonated the bomb, causing a severe fire before fleeing quickly.
Security forces are examining connections between the two incidents, as they occurred close in time and shared similar methods. Preliminary findings suggest they were carried out by insurgents aiming to create unrest and disrupt the economy in the southern border provinces.