PUBLISHED: 24 Mar 2024 at 05: 00
The state is offering help and settlement to victims of the 44 arson attacks in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla on Friday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Saturday.
Mr Srettha has ordered Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet, acting federal police commander, to check the set of call and substitute the patients. He even had a phone conversation with his Malaysian rival, Anwar Ibrahim, to explore the event.
Malaysia plays coach in the peace agreements between the Thai government and the southern rebel parts. Some rebels are even reported to hold double Thai- Malaysian nationalities.
Mr Srettha said the Friday adversaries may have wanted to display their energy due to the softening of safety procedures in the far South. But, he said more details were needed to make impression of the latest outbreak of violence.
Suspected rebels set fireplace to more than 40 locations in a planned attempt to undermine the atmosphere of peace during the holy month of Ramadan.
According to the Internal Security Operations Command ( Isoc ) Region 4 Forward Command, the attacks occurred in 44 spots in four provinces from 1am to 1.45 pm on Friday. Most of those were in Pattani ( 23 spots ), followed by Yala ( 12 ), Narathiwat ( 7 ), and Songkhla ( 2 ).
Confirmed killed was a Burmese woman who was a building worker at a gas station in Pattani’s Mayo area. She died from debris sores in her sleep.
Even discovered at the petrol station in tambon Koh Jan was a oil cylinder packed with explosives. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal ( EOD ) unit was called in and defused the device.
In Yala, lieutenant governor Anan Bunsamran said the government had established a combined payment centre in Muang and Bannang Sata regions to assess damage to properties and the effect on people.
The appraisal will be used for calculating compensation for residents. The deputy governor, however, said he could not say how long the assessment will take.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin said the Thai Health Promotion Foundation ( ThaiHealth ) has accepted more money from the World Bank to continue the project to provide remedial assistance to residents in the far South.