Railway bomb attack in southern Thailand injures 8 security officers

A bomb attack at a railway in Narathiwat province in southern Thailand yesterday injured eight subdistrict security officers.

Officers at Rueso Police Station were informed that subdistrict security officers were injured by an explosion while on duty overseeing the safety of the railway line in the area of Duyae Village, Sao Or subdistrict, Rueso district.

Assailants planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the side of the road and detonated the bombs when the security officers were walking past on the way back to their base. All eight officers were injured.

1. Cpl. Surin Rakdee, a military officer stationed in Sawo district, was hit by shrapnel injuring his head and left ear, tinnitus, a tight chest, and hip pain, and was sent to Narathiwat Hospital.

All the other injured security officials were treated at Ruesao Hospital…

2. District Territory Defence Volunteer Basree Jae Lo sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

3. District Territory Defence Volunteer Paosi Mahama Ali sustained a tight chest, tinnitus, and hip pain.

4. District Territory Defence Volunteer Royali Yamo sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

5. District Territory Defence Volunteer Russalam Wani sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

6. District Territory Defence Volunteer Ahchuemi Jueyueray sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

7. District Territory Defence Volunteer Nondin Johheng sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

8. District Territory Defence Volunteer Muhammed Sorleh Sahmah sustained a tight chest and tinnitus.

After the explosion, soldiers and bomb disposal officers were deployed to inspect the area.

More than 100 members of the military, police force and government officials and sniffer dogs set out to look for the assailants, who were expected to have fled into the forest. No suspects have been identified yet.

Police suspect the bombing – targeted at state representatives – was taken out by insurgents trying to create unrest in the area.

The attack was taken out the same day that Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Bangkok to discuss tackling the two-decade-long resurfaced insurgency that continues to plague the ‘Deep South’ with sporadic violence.

During a joint press conference in Bangkok yesterday, PM Anwar said he does “not condone” violence in the South…

“I came here with a clear message, that the government of Malaysia will not condone the use of violence to resolve any conflicts.”