Thailand’s Deep South erupts again as militants kill five rangers in a brazen checkpoint assault only hours after a 70kg car bomb devastated a Narathiwat police station, while Prime Minister Anutin vows peace talks will continue.
Thailand’s southern insurgency has delivered one of its boldest and deadliest blows in recent years as heavily armed militants, openly travelling in a black pickup truck while wearing paramilitary-style uniforms, killed five members of the 45th Ranger Task Force only hours after a sophisticated 70-kilogram car bomb devastated a Narathiwat police station. As investigators traced the bombers’ escape through CCTV, uncovered evidence linking the attacks to earlier insurgent operations and launched an extensive manhunt, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed that peace negotiations with insurgent-linked groups in Malaysia would continue despite the renewed wave of violence.
Heavily armed militants travelling openly in a black pickup truck while wearing paramilitary-style uniforms launched one of the deadliest attacks in Thailand’s Deep South this year, killing five members of the 45th Ranger Task Force at a checkpoint in Narathiwat.
The assault came only hours after a sophisticated 70-kilogram car bomb exploded outside a police station in the province. In response, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reaffirmed that peace negotiations with insurgent-linked groups in Malaysia would continue despite the latest violence.
The attacks unfolded over two days and struck separate targets in Narathiwat. First came the car bombing outside the old Tanyong Police Station in Muang district. The following evening, gunmen stormed the Bukeh Sami checkpoint in Ra-ngae district.
Together, the attacks left five rangers dead, injured civilians and a police officer, damaged government property and triggered an extensive security operation.
Five rangers killed after militants in pickup storm Narathiwat checkpoint following police station bomb
The checkpoint attack began at about 6.50 pm on Wednesday. According to the Ra-ngae District Operations Centre, an unknown number of militants arrived in a black four-door pickup truck at the Bukeh Sami checkpoint in Village 7 of Tanyong Mas subdistrict.
The checkpoint was operated by the 4509th Ranger Company under the 45th Ranger Task Force. The attackers drove straight through the position before opening sustained automatic fire. They also threw pipe bombs before escaping along Route 4055 towards Dusongnyo.
Police initially reported four attackers. However, photographs from the scene appeared to show six heavily armed militants. The images also showed the men wearing paramilitary-style uniforms while openly carrying assault weapons.
Notably, they made no apparent effort to conceal either their weapons or their identities during the attack. Investigators believe the assault was carefully coordinated before the group rapidly withdrew from the area.
Five members of the Ranger Corps were killed. They were Sergeant Major Theerayut Somakerd, volunteer ranger Sakiriya Cheh-na, volunteer ranger Wimol Dabthong, volunteer ranger Natthasit Kaewsena and volunteer ranger Salahudin Pi.
Separately, two civilians suffered injuries during the attack. One was a 10-year-old boy named Habib, who was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.
Security sweep begins in Narathiwat after deadly checkpoint assault after police station attack
Security forces immediately sealed the scene. Forensic officers then began collecting evidence across the checkpoint. Meanwhile, additional military and police units deployed throughout surrounding districts.
Authorities also launched an intensive manhunt while strengthening checkpoints across Narathiwat. Investigators said further findings would be released after forensic examinations.
The deadly checkpoint assault followed another carefully planned operation only hours earlier. At about 7.20 pm on Tuesday, a moving car bomb exploded outside the old Tanyong Police Station building in Kaluwo Nuea subdistrict of Muang district.
The blast slightly injured Police Sergeant Major Apisit Anuchat. It also caused extensive structural damage to the station and destroyed his personal pickup truck parked nearby.
According to the Region 4 Forward Command of the Internal Security Operations Command, the bombing followed a tactic seen in previous insurgent attacks. Investigators said the driver deliberately steered the vehicle towards the police station before slowing near a U-turn.
He then jumped from the moving vehicle moments before impact. At the same time, a motorcycle carrying another suspect followed closely behind. The driver climbed aboard the motorcycle while the unmanned car continued rolling towards its target. Seconds later, the explosives detonated.
CCTV traces bombers as investigators link Narathiwat police station blast to earlier attacks
The suspects escaped along a route passing the police station and a nearby mosque before heading towards Tak Bai district. CCTV footage later confirmed their movements. As part of the investigation, officers reconstructed the suspects’ escape route from multiple cameras positioned around the area.
ISOC said the attack closely resembled earlier vehicle bombings in Sungai Kolok district on March 8, 2025, and Khok Pho district in Pattani on August 20, 2025.
In each case, vehicles loaded with explosives were abandoned shortly before reaching government targets. The military said the attacks were designed to damage state property, frighten officials and residents and undermine peace restoration efforts.
Provincial Police Region 9 commissioner Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri and Narathiwat governor Boonchuey Homyamyen supervised the overnight investigation. Officers collected forensic evidence, reviewed CCTV recordings and examined blast damage throughout the compound.
Large sections of the bomb vehicle landed beside the police station sign near the main road. Other wreckage was scattered beside the old station building. Almost every window in the building was shattered by the force of the explosion.
Bomb experts identify 70-kilogram device as police trace Narathiwat car used in station bombing
Police Sergeant Major Apisit’s black Toyota pickup had been parked only 10 to 15 metres from the blast. The explosion destroyed the vehicle with fire and shrapnel. In parallel, bomb disposal specialists examined the remains of the bomb car.
They identified two improvised explosive devices hidden inside the vehicle. One weighed about 20 kilograms. The second weighed about 50 kilograms and had been concealed inside a cooking gas cylinder. Together, the explosives weighed about 70 kilograms. Investigators believe they were detonated remotely.
The bomb vehicle was identified as a Mitsubishi Lancer sedan displaying Bangkok registration PC 4927. Investigators later determined the licence plates were fake. Police traced the vehicle to its original owner in Nakhon Chai Si district of Nakhon Pathom before ownership changed hands.
The latest owner had been using the vehicle in Narathiwat. Authorities know that individual’s identity but have not released the name because the investigation remains active.
Police searched the suspect’s wife’s home in Bang Po subdistrict but did not find the individual. On another front, investigators expanded the operation towards another residence in Su-ngai Padi district. Forensic specialists also continued examining vehicle fragments and explosive components for fingerprints, DNA and other evidence.
CCTV reconstructs escape as forensics compare bomb evidence with earlier Narathiwat attacks
CCTV footage proved crucial to reconstructing the bombing. The recordings showed the bomb vehicle travelling with a motorcycle escort from the roundabout near the Kaluwo Nuea Subdistrict Administrative Organisation.
At a nearby intersection, the suspects slowed the vehicle to ensure it turned towards the police station. The driver then opened the door, jumped clear and ran directly to the waiting motorcycle. Moments later, the explosion ripped through the compound as both suspects escaped.
By Wednesday morning, workers had removed most of the wreckage. Black tarpaulins covered damaged sections of the compound while repair crews rebuilt the perimeter wall. At the same time, forensic officers remained at the site gathering additional evidence. Authorities said restoring the station quickly would minimise disruption to police operations.
Security officials believe the perpetrators belong to a lower-level operational cell linked to previous attacks in Narathiwat. For that reason, investigators are comparing fingerprints, DNA and bomb components recovered from earlier incidents.
Officials pointed to similar vehicle bomb attacks in Tak Bai on September 29, 2024, Sungai Kolok on March 8, 2025, and another operation on August 20, 2025. Each targeted government facilities and caused extensive damage.
Anutin vows peace talks will continue while security forces intensify operations after latest blow
The latest violence prompted questions to Prime Minister Anutin while he attended an event at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Pattaya. Speaking as both Prime Minister and Interior Minister, he acknowledged the attacks and said car bomb incidents could have multiple causes.
Even so, he issued no additional operational instructions. Instead, he said security agencies already understood their responsibilities and must continue performing their duties to the fullest extent.
Above all, Mr Anutin stressed that preventing injuries and deaths among the public remained the government’s highest priority. He said every agency must do everything possible to prevent suffering among civilians.
“The most important thing is to do everything possible to prevent suffering to the public, especially regarding injuries and deaths,” he said. “These must not happen, and all parties must perform their duties to the best of their ability.”
Peace negotiations continue as PM backs intelligence drive and expanded security response
The Prime Minister also confirmed that peace negotiations would continue. He said the government’s negotiating team remained under Thanat Suwannanon, director of the National Intelligence Agency. Recently, the team held further discussions with Malaysian counterparts during a visit to Malaysia.
Asked whether the latest attacks would affect negotiations, Mr Anutin gave a direct answer. “They would continue,” he said. He added that stronger intelligence gathering remained essential. He also called for more effective preventive measures.
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Finally, he said those intentionally committing acts of terrorism must be dealt with as effectively as possible. He added that the military continued operating at full capacity and retained full authority over security operations in the southern border provinces.
Meanwhile, investigators continue examining evidence from both attack scenes as the search for those responsible intensifies. Across Narathiwat, security has been reinforced with additional checkpoints, patrols and surveillance. Authorities said investigations into both attacks remain ongoing.
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Further reading:
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