PASIR MAS: Thunderous booming sounds from the direction of Narathiwat, southern Thailand, caused houses in Kampung Lubok Gong and Kampung Tersang here, near the Malaysia-Thailand border, to shake Saturday (Aug 22) night, sparking concern among residents.
Ismail Abdul Rahman, 50, from Kampung Lubok Gong, and Malik Zulkarnain, 35, from Kampung Tersang, said the sounds were clearly audible from their homes, and followed by flashes of light in the sky.
Ismail said the sounds prompted him and his family to check what was happening outside.
"They were very loud, like booms during a lightning storm. The house felt as though it was shaking, and we stayed alert," he said when met on Sunday (Aug 23).
He said the area around his house was already quiet at the time, and he believed the sounds came from across the border.
He said he and his family did not leave the house and chose to remain indoors until the situation became calm again.
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Malik said he also heard the sound from Kampung Tersang and noticed that it was different from thunder.
"It was clearly audible from across the border. We did not know what was happening, so we chose to stay inside the house,” he said.
He said the sound prompted residents to enquire about developments on the other side of the border, but the situation soon returned to normal.
Malik said that as of this morning, no unusual incidents had been observed around Kampung Tersang, and residents continued with their daily activities.
Checks at the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) on Sunday morning found operations and public activities proceeding as usual and under control.
The area around Rantau Panjang also appeared calm, with residents continuing their daily affairs, while no disruption was detected along the border.
Kampung Lubok Gong and Kampung Tersang are among the settlements located near the Malaysia-Thailand border, meaning loud sounds from the neighbouring country can easily be heard by residents.
Thai media reported that the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala were rocked by a series of bomb explosions and simultaneous attacks at more than 51 locations beginning at around 8.15pm yesterday.
The incidents reportedly caused property damage and fires, while Thai authorities issued curfew orders in the affected areas. – Bernama
