BANGKOK: Three students were injured when roadside explosions damaged their school van in Satun province on Wednesday (Nov 11), while separate blasts targeted electricity poles at three locations across Songkhla province.
The van was carrying 11 students from Wichienmatu School in Trang, according to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 Forward Command. The three injured students were initially taken to Thung Wa Hospital in Satun.
ISOC’s initial account described the injuries as minor. A television station later reported that one student was seriously injured and had been transferred to Satun Hospital.
Two blasts reported near Thung Wa checkpoint
ISOC reported two explosions at approximately 6.13am and 6.23am on November 11 near roadside electricity poles in Thung Wa district. The location was about 500 metres from the Thung Wa security checkpoint, along the road leading into the district.
Shrapnel struck the privately operated school van, damaging the vehicle and injuring three of its passengers.
Power poles attacked at three Songkhla locations
The Songkhla explosions were reported at around 7am on November 11, damaging electricity poles and disrupting road traffic.
In Sadao district, a blast severed the base of a pole beside Kanchanavanich Road on the Hat Yai–Sadao route. The pole, in Moo 5 of Phang La subdistrict near the boundary with Phatong, remained standing.
In Chana district, an explosion brought down a pole at Ban Khlong Kha, Moo 1, Na Thap subdistrict, leaving it across the road. A third location was reported beside the Asian Highway at Mi Tai Curve, near the boundary between Na Mom and Chana districts.
Residents in Phang La reported two explosions at the same pole, about 200 metres before a power plant on the road leading from a security checkpoint.
A passing motorist had noticed that the Sadao pole was leaning abnormally before the first blast, residents reported. A second explosion followed as residents began arriving to assess what had happened and alert the authorities.
No injuries or deaths were reported in the Songkhla incidents.
Earlier attacks hit Satun and eight Yala sites
The November 11 blasts followed a power-pole bombing in Satun and attacks at eight locations in Yala on November 10.
An explosion in Thung Nui subdistrict, Khuan Kalong district, Satun, brought down a roadside lighting pole and damaged a passing truck on November 10, according to ISOC. Bomb disposal officers subsequently recovered an unexploded timed device.
Yala experienced bombings, arson and property damage at eight sites across five districts at about 9pm on November 10, ISOC reported. Targets included a local administration office, official vehicles, mobile phone towers and security cameras.
At the Yala Subdistrict Administrative Organisation office in Mueang Yala district, attackers tied up five security guards before bombing and setting fire to the premises and official vehicles. A fire engine, refuse truck and pickup were among the damaged vehicles, according to ISOC.
Southern Thailand’s long-running separatist insurgency has largely centred on Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and parts of Songkhla. ISOC’s initial accounts did not identify a group responsible for the latest blasts or establish whether the Satun, Songkhla and Yala incidents were connected.
Security tightened as investigators examine blast sites
Military personnel, police and explosive ordnance disposal teams cordoned off the Songkhla blast sites and barred unauthorised access. Traffic was restricted to one lane in affected areas, while authorities ordered maximum security in high-risk locations across the province.
ISOC reported that investigators were examining the Satun scenes, collecting evidence and working to identify those responsible. Security measures were also being increased to prevent further attacks and restore public confidence.
ISOC condemned the violence as unacceptable regardless of motive, expressing concern for the injured students and their families. The command stressed that attacks affecting civilians caused harm and fear and undermined public confidence, and pledged to pursue those responsible through the legal process.
“Children and young people should be protected, not exposed to the dangers of violence,” ISOC said in its statement.
ISOC urged residents to report suspicious objects or unusual activity through its hotline, 1341, or their nearest local task force unit. - The Nation/ANN
