Armed chaos: Gunmen turn Hala Bala into a fiery hostage jungle
In a chilling turn of events, police are on an urgent manhunt for approximately 20 armed men who took four officers hostage and torched four buildings in the Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, Waeng district. The harrowing incident, which unfolded yesterday, September 22, marks the first terror attack on the sanctuary in three decades, as confirmed by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Ataphol Charoenshunsa, the department’s director-general, assured that no one was injured in the brazen assault. Initial findings from the Royal Thai Police revealed that around 20 masked and heavily armed assailants stormed the sanctuary’s staff quarters at 5.45pm, unleashing a coordinated attack that shocked the community.
The attackers split into two groups, with some taking four sanctuary staff members hostage while others bombed and set ablaze four nearby office buildings. This violent episode lasted about 50 minutes, during which several workers managed to escape to safety and seek help from a nearby village.
Security personnel rushed to the scene in an armoured vehicle but the assailants had already fled the premises. Among the buildings reduced to rubble, one served as a tourist bungalow, while the other three were employee accommodations and office space. The attackers also torched several government vehicles parked nearby.
In a further blow, the Crime Suppression Division reported that the raiders looted the sanctuary’s firearms cabinet, making off with 10 shotguns and one nine-millimetre calibre handgun. The officers who were briefly held hostage were later questioned at Buketa police station and released around 2am today.
In a tense aftermath, two explosions were heard in the sanctuary this morning, prompting police to ramp up security measures at all entrances. Ataphol Charoenshunsa instructed the sanctuary’s chief to work closely with local police to bolster security protocols and protect the vital wildlife haven, Bangkok Post reported.
The Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, a key education centre focused on hornbills, plays a crucial role in wildlife conservation and education, making this violent incursion all the more alarming. As the hunt for the perpetrators continues, the sanctuary and surrounding community remain on high alert.
