Hat Yai backpack scare leads to four-hour road closure
A suspicious bag left outside the house of Hat Yai’s mayor prompted a four-hour road closure as police and bomb squads moved to neutralise the potential threat. This incident follows a series of violent events in the southern border provinces, including a recent car bomb attack in Pattani.
Security agencies issued warnings to bolster protective measures at government offices and economic zones in four provinces, with a particular focus on Songkhla, Hat Yai, Mueang, and Sadao districts. Key locations such as bus terminals, railway stations, shopping centres, and convenience stores are under heightened surveillance.
At 2.40pm yesterday, November 3, police in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, received reports of a suspicious brown suitcase abandoned on Nipat Songkhro 5 Road, directly opposite the mayor’s residence. Acting promptly, Sakorn Thongmuni, a senior officer in Hat Yai, led a team to the site, cordoning off the street and coordinating with the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit from Songkhla Provincial Police.
Investigative teams from Hat Yai and Songkhla, along with the Region 9 investigative unit and aerial support from Hat Yai Police, were summoned to the scene.
Upon arrival, EOD specialists disabled mobile phone and radio signals in the area to prevent any remote detonation risk. They then proceeded to use a high-pressure water cannon to safely destroy the bag. The entire process, from the initial report to the neutralisation of the threat, lasted approximately four hours.
In a surprising turn of events, following the neutralisation process, the bag’s owner arrived at the scene in a van. He explained to police that he had accidentally left the suitcase behind. Earlier, he had stopped at a convenience store, and after spilling water inside his vehicle, he placed the suitcase on the ground to clean up.
In his haste, he drove away without the bag. The suitcase contained clothes and documents belonging to an employee. The owner apologised for the inconvenience and distress caused by the misunderstanding, reported KhaoSod.
