A car bomb incident occurred in front of the house of the district chief in Takbai, Narathiwat Province, injuring two soldiers. The attackers stole a car belonging to the wife of a paramilitary soldier, used it to create an explosive device weighing 50 kg, and set it off near the house. After the explosion, they stole four motorcycles to escape, believed to be connected with other bombing cases in the area.
The bombing happened around 21:50 on September 29, with the police confirming the explosion at the residence of the Takbai district chief. The blast caused extensive damage to nearby homes and injured two soldiers from the Navy Special Warfare unit. Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and conducted thorough checks on individuals and vehicles entering the Takbai and Su-ngai Kolok municipalities.
Subsequent reports revealed that a woman named Mariam Dola, the wife of a soldier, reported a theft to the police. At around 21:40, five armed men dressed in military-like clothes stole her car, which was later used in the bombing. On September 30, explosive ordnance disposal and forensic teams investigated the site, examining debris from the car used in the bomb and collecting evidence.
The deputy mayor of Narathiwat visited the bombing scene to gather information on the progress of the investigation. It was noted that the bombers potentially fled to a neighboring country after committing the crime. Authorities believe the bomb was set off using a radio timer, with gasoline hidden in the stolen vehicle to amplify the explosion.
Security reports indicated that multiple armed men threatened civilians for their motorcycles after the bombing incident. The police found the stolen motorcycles abandoned but did not discover any additional explosives. The Vice Minister of Defense suggested that the incident might be linked to ongoing legal issues related to a bombing case that is nearing its court date.
Authorities are also investigating connections to a related bombing incident at the Bannang Sata police station in Yala Province, suggesting a wider network of coordinated attacks. The investigation is focusing on two suspects linked to previous explosive activities in the region.
Read the full Thai Rai column here.
This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.