BANGKOK: Security authorities in the Deep South have urged motorists to avoid part of Highway 410 after a truck was set on fire in Yala, while a Volunteer Defence Corps member was killed in a separate incident in Pattani.
Security authorities in the southern border provinces have stepped up safety measures after two violent incidents in Yala and Pattani, including an arson attack on a ten-wheel truck that disrupted the Yala-Betong route and a separate attack that killed a Volunteer Defence Corps member.
The Public Relations Centre of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command said the truck, belonging to Betong-Sanyajai Co Ltd, also known as Betong Chua Lee Huat, was set on fire near the bridge at the mosque curve in Ban Khlong Nam Khun, Bannang Sata district, Yala, at around 11.10pm on Friday (June 26).
The vehicle was heavily damaged, affecting traffic on Highway 410, the main Yala-Betong route.
No injuries or deaths were reported in the truck arson incident.
Security officials, police and administrative officers moved into the area after the incident to secure the scene, manage traffic and inspect the damaged vehicle and road surface.
Authorities asked motorists to avoid the main road between Bannang Sata and Than To until the vehicle had been removed and the area inspection completed.
Alternative route advised for motorists
People who still need to travel have been advised to use an alternative route through Ban Kasot, the entrance to Bang Lang Dam, Ban Bue Sue and Ban Puyut in Than To district.
Officials have been deployed along the route to help motorists and provide travel guidance.
Members of the public seeking route information can contact Batu Ta Mong Police Station at 073-281960 for updates and safety advice, according to the ISOC Region 4 Forward Command statement cited by local media.
Defence volunteer killed in Pattani
In a separate incident in Pattani, ISOC Region 4 Forward Command said Abdulloh Yama, a member of the Volunteer Defence Corps attached to Yarang district, was killed at around 7.30am on Saturday (June 27) while returning after taking his child to a tadika school in Ban Ton Makham, Mo Mawi subdistrict, Yarang district.
Initial inquiries found that Abdulloh had left his home in Ban Bo Dan, Mo Mawi subdistrict, to take his child to school before returning along a village road.
Authorities said they later cordoned off the scene, collected evidence and launched an investigation to identify and prosecute the attacker.
The motive remains under investigation.
Security agencies seek public cooperation
ISOC Region 4 Forward Command said security agencies were coordinating forces, increasing safety measures and continuing law enforcement operations to protect residents in the southern border provinces.
The agency asked members of the public to report suspicious activity or suspicious individuals through the ISOC Region 4 Forward Command hotline at 1341 or to local task forces, which operate around the clock.
ISOC Region 4 Forward Command also expressed condolences to Abdulloh’s family, relatives and colleagues, and called for all sides to help end violence so residents can live safely and peacefully.
Long-running southern insurgency
Thailand’s southern border provinces have faced a long-running insurgency rooted in historical, ethnic, religious and political grievances.
The violence is concentrated mainly in the predominantly Malay Muslim provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, as well as parts of Songkhla near the Malaysian border.
More than 7,300 people have reportedly been killed since 2004 in fighting between Thai security forces and groups seeking independence for the region.
Malaysia has helped facilitate peace talks between the Thai government and separatist groups since 2013, although the process has repeatedly stalled.
The latest incidents underline the continuing security challenges in the Deep South, where attacks on transport routes, local officials and security personnel continue to affect daily life, public confidence and economic activity. - The Nation/ANN
