At least 51 coordinated attacks struck Thailand’s three southern border provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala on Saturday night, targeting government offices, vehicles, telecommunications infrastructure and other public property.

According to The Bangkok Post, Narathiwat recorded the highest number with 22 incidents, followed by 18 in Yala and 11 in Pattani. Most involved arson, while bomb blasts, shootings, property damage and vehicle theft were also reported.

Two women and a 21-year-old man were injured in a roadside bombing in Narathiwat and were hospitalized in stable condition. A section of the railway in the province was also temporarily suspended after tracks were damaged in a bombing.

Security officials said the coordinated attacks were aimed at creating unrest and spreading fear. Authorities have urged residents not to approach suspicious objects and to immediately report them.

The latest violence comes amid a long-running insurgency in Thailand’s Muslim-majority southern provinces, where more than 7,000 people have been killed since 2004.

BOB Post