Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin hosted an urgent meeting today with senior security officials, including acting national police chief Pol Gen Kittarat Panphet, following this morning’s attacks in three southernmost provinces.
He assigned Kittarat to visit the areas today to gather information concerning the attacks in the suburbs of Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani provinces.
Srettha also ordered the military and the police to beef up security at all government offices in those provinces.
Kittarat told reporters after the meeting that he was scheduled to fly to Hat Yai in Songkhla province before traveling to the deep south to hold talks with local police on measures to protect government offices and prevent future attacks.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Santi Sakuntanark, commander of the Fourth Army Region, said that the arson attacks appear not to have been intended to harm people but to damage economic targets located in the suburbs of the provinces.
Suspected insurgents launched coordinated robbery and arson attacks on multiple targets, including 7-11 convenience stores, crushing plants, and cell towers.
Read more : Arson attacks by insurgents in three southernmost provinces
Santi said that the insurgents believed they would obtain more merits if they attacked during the holy month of Ramadan.
