The insurgency flared as attackers targeted PTT gas stations with coordinated bombings at 11 sites across three southern border provinces. They packed explosives inside fire extinguishers with timers, destroying fuel pumps and setting 7-Eleven stores ablaze. Narathiwat was hit hardest, with five stations bombed at once; a deputy inspector at Ra-ngae police station was injured by shrapnel to his arm. Additionally, insurgents ambushed a local government official's pickup truck, mistakenly identifying it as a security vehicle. The commander of the Narathiwat task force declared a curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and closed all border crossings between Thailand and Malaysia. Yala was also heavily hit, with four gas stations damaged, totaling nearly 60 million baht in losses. The attackers focused on property destruction without harming people. In Pattani, two stations were bombed with severe damage. The Fourth Army Region commander refrained from concluding the motives, suggesting political and southern insurgency factors. Deputy Prime Minister Anutin indicated the incidents relate to local elections. The Ministry of Energy ordered heightened security at all gas stations in risk areas and directed checks on emergency fuel reserves.
The situation in the southern border provinces has escalated again after insurgents demonstrated their capacity by simultaneously bombing and setting fire to gas stations and convenience stores at 11 locations across the three provinces. These attacks caused economic damage and undermined investor and local confidence. Residents criticized security agencies for lax intelligence operations, lacking deep insights and coordination. Following the incidents, all relevant state agencies imposed strict security measures in all areas, a reactive approach likened to 'locking the stable after the horse has bolted,' significantly impacting daily life for local people.
In Narathiwat province, at 1:00 a.m. on 11 Jan, simultaneous explosions occurred in several areas, alarming residents. The incidents involved five PTT gas stations: 1) PTT station at Village 4, Ban Khok, T. Juab, Jorairong district; 2) PTT station, T. Dusongyo, Janae district; 3) PTT station, T. Tanyongmas, Ra-ngae district; 4) PTT station, Waeng district; and 5) PTT station, T. Pasemah, Su-ngai Kolok district. Security forces secured the scenes and blocked access for safety, awaiting forensic teams to investigate and collect evidence in the morning.
At 9:30 a.m., Police Colonel Than Sirikan, Superintendent of Su-ngai Kolok Police Station, along with bomb disposal units from Narathiwat Provincial Police, forensic officials, the 33rd Special Task Force, and related personnel, inspected the PTT Pasemah station in Village 3, Pasemah subdistrict, Su-ngai Kolok district, which had been bombed and set on fire the previous night. At the scene, authorities found four improvised explosive devices weighing 20 kg each concealed inside fire extinguishers, with timed detonators. These were placed at two fuel pumps, one in front of a 7-Eleven store, and at the rear trailer of a fuel truck. The timers were set to explode five minutes apart, causing loud blasts and extensive property damage at all four locations. Debris scattered on the road and within the station, with overall damage estimated at 80%.
CCTV footage from a camera at the right-side entrance to the gas station captured four suspects dressed in black, each armed and carrying a fire extinguisher rigged with explosives. They emerged from dense bushes opposite the station and dispersed to place bombs at the four designated targets. After the explosions, the suspects fled along the same route. About 15 minutes later, another group threw a pipe bomb at the rear base of the Su-ngai Kolok police bomb disposal unit, located approximately 400 meters from the station, to disrupt support to the incident site; no injuries were reported.
Authorities later examined the PTT Waeng station in Village 6, Waeng district, where at 1:29 a.m. the attackers placed two bombs of similar type and size at fuel pumps, causing explosions that extensively damaged the building and caused a fire, with about 95% destruction. At the third site, PTT Ban Khok station in Village 5, Juab subdistrict, Jorairong district, attackers placed one bomb at a fuel pump and another in front of a 7-Eleven. The explosions ignited the pump and caused the canopy and the 7-Eleven ceiling to collapse. Bloodstains and footprints were found on the road leading to the station and in the nearby rice field, indicating an attacker was likely wounded by bomb shrapnel. Medical facilities were alerted to watch for anyone seeking treatment for suspicious injuries.
At the fourth site, PTT Tanyongmas station in Village 1, Tanyongmas subdistrict, Ra-ngae district, bombs were placed at two fuel pumps and one 7-Eleven store, damaging pumps, breaking glass, and causing ceiling panels to fall. At the time, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prasit Bamrung, Deputy Inspector of Ra-ngae Police Station, was patrolling nearby and sustained minor shrapnel wounds to his right arm; he was treated at Ra-ngae Hospital. CCTV showed four to five attackers dressed in black entering the station. The fifth site, PTT Dusongyo station in Dusongyo subdistrict, Janae district, also suffered heavy damage from bombs placed at a fuel pump and in front of the 7-Eleven. Authorities believe the attacks were a coordinated effort targeting all five stations simultaneously.
Besides bombing gas stations, attackers ambushed a vehicle belonging to a subdistrict administrative organization (SAO) employee. At 8:33 a.m., Lieutenant Than Dee Sriladacho, Deputy Investigation Officer of Waeng Police Station, Narathiwat, received reports of a bomb attack on a pickup truck near a curve on Ban Kiayamas Road, Village 4, Kholo subdistrict, Waeng district. At the scene near a roadside guardrail, a 30 cm deep and 50 cm wide crater was found with asphalt debris scattered. The vehicle, a bronze Toyota Vigo double cab pickup with license plate KJ 3319 Narathiwat, had a fiberglass canopy and suffered damage to the left rear door and shattered glass. The driver, 53-year-old Natthaphak Ramchuay, a SAO administrative officer, suffered shoulder pain and hearing loss from the blast. He was treated at Waeng Hospital and discharged.
Investigations revealed that before the incident, Natthaphak Ramchuay left his home at 122/15 Sai Thong 3 Road, Su-ngai Kolok subdistrict, to travel to the Kholo SAO office for local elections of SAO president and members that day. Passing the blast site, insurgents concealed in dense roadside bushes triggered a roadside bomb just as his pickup passed. The blast damaged the vehicle, but Natthaphak remained composed and drove to seek help from nearby residents. Authorities believe the attackers mistook the pickup for a security forces vehicle and detonated the bomb in an ambush attempt.
In Yala province, at 1:14 a.m. the same night, attackers planted improvised bombs and set fire to PTT gas stations and 7-Eleven stores at four locations: 1) PTT Ban Nangka Dama, Kabang district; 2) PTT Bannangsta, Bannangsta district; 3) PTT Bukekala along the Yala-Raman road, Budi subdistrict, Mueang Yala district; and 4) PTT along route 418 (Pattani–Yala) at Tha Sap subdistrict, Mueang Yala district. The attacks caused extensive property damage. Security forces secured the areas and blocked access for safety, awaiting forensic teams for investigation.
Initial reports indicated that at the PTT station on route 418 (Pattani–Yala), young male attackers arrived on motorcycles, parked in front of the station, and fired gunshots into the air to intimidate and drive out gas station employees before planting three bombs at fuel pumps, causing explosions and fires that destroyed the station. Similar tactics were used at the other three stations, with bombs concealed inside fire extinguishers with timed detonators placed at fuel pumps. Yala Governor Kongskul Chantrach ordered strict security measures and urgent investigations to track down the perpetrators and resolve the situation quickly.
In the morning, Yala Governor Kongskul Chantrach, alongside Amran Baka, Kabang district chief, and the provincial energy officer, inspected damage at the PTT Bukekala station in Kabang district. The blast destroyed 28 fuel pumps and shattered glass at the 7-Eleven store; one person sustained minor injuries. Governor Kongskul estimated preliminary damages at about 10 million baht in Kabang district, with similar losses in Bannangsta. The PTT station on route 418 sustained about 15 million baht in damages. Bukekala station suffered total vehicle and structural destruction valued over 25 million baht. Total losses across the four sites reached roughly 60 million baht. Meetings with the Fourth Army Region and the 9th Provincial Police Commander focused on expediting investigations, collecting evidence, providing compensation to affected businesses, restoring confidence, and ordering maximum security measures to prevent further attacks in economic areas.
In Pattani province, around 1:00 a.m. on 11 Jan, Police Colonel Jeffrey Sailmanakul, Superintendent of Muang Pattani Police Station, led officers to investigate an explosion at a PTT gas station along the Pattani-Narathiwat road, Village 7, Bana subdistrict. The blast destroyed walls and damaged the fuel drainage system. The station's roof partially collapsed, glass shattered, and bomb fragments scattered widely. Investigations revealed the station closed at 10 p.m., guarded by two security officers. Suddenly, five masked men on motorcycles arrived, armed with rifles, and detained the guards. They tied them up, planted a 5 kg improvised bomb at the underground fuel drainage pipe, then fled on motorcycles. The explosion followed shortly after. This station had previously been bombed and set on fire on 15 Nov 2022.
At nearly the same time, Police Colonel Sinchai Pabuppa, Superintendent of Kapo Police Station, Pattani, responded to reports of bombing and arson at a 7-Eleven in a PTT station along Kapo-Saiburi road, Karubi subdistrict. Upon arrival, firefighters battled intense flames for about an hour to control the blaze, which completely destroyed the building. Attackers also placed bombs at two fuel pumps, damaging them and breaking nearby glass. Investigations found the station was closed, but the 7-Eleven remained open. Seven to ten masked men on motorcycles entered separately; one group planted bombs at pumps, while another forced employees out, doused the store with fuel, and set it on fire before fleeing. Explosions occurred at both pump locations.
Later the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, chair of the Emergency Situation Management Committee and deputy chair of the National Security Council, visited the PTT Bana station in Muang Pattani, one of several targeted sites in the three southern provinces. Pattani Police Commander Major General Santhat Chuephuttan reported on the incident. Pipat said fortunately no one was injured, though the station sustained significant damage. Authorities are collecting evidence and investigating the perpetrators. Compensation discussions with affected operators have been completed. The province and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) will fully support the victims, assuring them of full assistance.
Subsequently, Lieutenant General Yodawut Phungphak, commander of the Narathiwat task force, invoked the 1914 Martial Law Act and issued Announcement No. 29/2569, imposing a curfew prohibiting individuals from leaving their homes between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. across all areas of Narathiwat province. Exceptions apply for urgent cases with prior approval from military, police, local officials, or administrative authorities. Border crossings between Thailand and Malaysia were subjected to stricter controls, with thorough inspections of all vehicles, citizen movements, and trade activities involving both Thai and foreign nationals. The military was authorized to conduct operations, searches, and security enforcement as prescribed by law. Civil authorities and citizens were urged to cooperate with security personnel. The announcement took effect from 11 Jan onward until further notice.
Lieutenant General Norathip Poinok, commander of the Fourth Army Region and director of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, addressed the bombings and arson of gas stations. He instructed local commanders to enhance security measures at all critical points, especially gas stations and checkpoints, raising safety standards to the highest level. Border defense units were ordered to close all border entry and exit points except permanent crossings. Coordination with customs and immigration was strengthened to intensify inspections of all individuals crossing borders. In response to the widening attacks into economic zones, he convened with all relevant sectors to implement the strictest security measures to protect the recovering economy.
The Fourth Army Region commander further stated that on the day of local elections for subdistrict councils and leaders, he emphasized that all task force commanders and police officers should form teams to provide security and facilitate election activities. The attacks, showing similar patterns across almost all sites, are under investigation to analyze connections to local politics, elections, national politics, or intimidation by insurgent groups. No motives have been ruled out, with detailed discussions planned.
At 11:15 a.m., at the Or Tor Kor Market, Chatuchak district, Bangkok, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul addressed the coordinated bombings and arson at 11 gas stations in the three southern border provinces. He acknowledged the reports and stated there were no fatalities. Security agencies assessed the events as signaling alignment with local elections rather than intending terrorism. He stressed orders were given to prevent such incidents and that coordination with the Fourth Army Region and the 9th Provincial Police Command was underway to address the issue. When asked if an urgent security meeting was necessary, Anutin responded that discussions among responsible parties were ongoing.
Pol Lieutenant General Yingyos Thepjumnong, Deputy Commissioner and Police spokesperson, revealed that Police Chief General Kittirat Phanpetch ordered General Samran Nuanma, Deputy Commissioner for Security and head of the Police Operations Center, along with Police Lieutenant General Piyawat Chalermsri, Commander of the 9th Provincial Police Region, to expedite investigations into the bombings and arson at gas stations and convenience stores across 11 sites in Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani. They were instructed to pursue the insurgent groups promptly and to meticulously gather evidence. Preliminary reports indicate the attacks were carried out by local insurgents aiming to escalate violence before the SAO elections, with reinforced security measures advised.
Energy Ministry spokesperson Weerapat Kiatfuengfoo stated that the ministry has instructed provincial energy officers and fuel traders to collaborate with security agencies, elevating monitoring and control at strategic energy sites. This includes strict surveillance of gas stations and key energy points, focusing on the safety of station staff and customers in the three southern provinces affected by unrest. Continuous reporting has been requested to enable the central office to provide timely support should unexpected incidents arise.
The Energy Ministry spokesperson added that the Department of Energy Business and Section 7 fuel traders have been tasked with auditing fuel stockpiles in the southern border provinces to ensure sufficient emergency reserves. Contingency plans include alternative transportation routes to maintain uninterrupted energy supply despite potential road closures or transport restrictions. The ministry expressed condolences over the incidents and urged close coordination among provincial energy officials, fuel traders, and station operators with security forces to safeguard personnel and facilities. The public is reassured that adequate fuel reserves are in place for all situations.
Reporters described the atmosphere in Narathiwat following the coordinated gas station bombings. Most residents expressed incomprehension toward the attackers, noting that destroying gas stations damages the basic local economy as everyone relies on these services. Growing gas stations bring development to the area, hosting 7-Eleven stores and Amazon coffee shops that serve as community gathering points for rest during travel. Many stations also provide prayer spaces for travelers. Residents called on the government to implement concrete and continuous measures rather than reactive responses after violent incidents, criticizing the approach as 'locking the stable after the horse has bolted.' The insecurity hinders residents' peace of mind and deters investors, impeding regional economic growth.
Locals also commented on the new 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew imposed to address unrest, expressing understanding and acceptance due to living in the area long-term. However, they criticized intelligence and security agencies for laxness, lack of deep intelligence, and failure to warn residents before attacks, despite substantial annual budgets for intelligence operations and secret funds. Consequently, locals live under constant threat. Night-market vendors lamented the sudden curfew disrupted business preparations, with perishable goods left uncertain. A local eatery in Narathiwat municipality reported diminished income due to curfew, as night-shift employees, living outside the area, faced travel difficulties, forcing disposal of prepared food.
Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul, spokesperson for the Senate Military and State Security Committee, discussed the bombing and arson of 11 PTT gas stations in the three southern border provinces in one night. He stated the bombings target the economy as part of the BRN’s declared strategy to disrupt investment in the region. Previous attacks have targeted gas stations, convenience stores, businesses, showrooms, warehouses, machinery, and construction companies. Selecting 11 Jan, the day of SAO elections, the BRN views elections as symbols of Thai governance and opposes them. The BRN fielded candidates for local government positions to control villages and subdistricts, building mass bases. The bombings aim to intimidate election opponents. PTT stations were targeted because the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 encouraged PTT to expand stations in military camps, making them symbolic targets to damage the economy and deter major investors.
Chaiyong said the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Front should have improved intelligence capabilities but failed. The BRN mobilized over 50 members, and including supporters and getaway helpers, operations would involve over 100 personnel. Yet ISOC intelligence showed no awareness of the planned attacks, even though they occurred on SAO election day, when vigilance should have been high. The lack of intelligence and preventive measures is a critical weakness needing urgent correction. Arresting perpetrators is expected to be difficult, as insurgents typically disperse and hide in Malaysia afterward. The curfew has not helped catch suspects.
"A key issue for ISOC Region 4 Front and the Fourth Army is budget management. Reports from military personnel indicate budget allocation and authority consolidation has concentrated funds and power, leaving field workers underfunded and weakened. There is a perception that 70% of the budget is withheld while only 30% is used for operations, a significant factor reducing counterinsurgency effectiveness. Leadership must urgently address this, as the current problems impact efforts to quell southern unrest and affect local residents," the Senate military committee spokesperson said.
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