Two areas in Narathiwat province were set on fire in arson attacks, where two shophouses and a department store were burned around midnight. Gun attacks and tyre burning also rocked five districts of neighbouring Pattani. There were no injuries.
Firemen and more than 20 firetrucks were deployed to the two fire-gutted areas on Rangae-Makkha Road and Chamroonnapha Road in Muang district of Narathiwat, said Pol Col Charoen Thammakhan, superintendent of Muang district, who was reported at around 12.30am.
In the first spot, a shophouse selling plastic products at low prices was engulfed in flames. The fire quickly spread to an ornamental fish shophouse next to it. The firemen took almost two hours to put the fire under control. The two shops were completely burned, but there were no injuries. (continued below)
Another team of firefighters was sent to combat a fire at the Super Department Store, the biggest store in Muang district.
Loud bangs were heard while fire crew members were trying to put out the blaze, which started at a shelf displaying flammable products. The fire spread quickly to the entire store. The firemen took about four hours to bring the blaze under control.
Pol Maj Gen Manas Siksamat, chief of Narathiwat police, led a team of police, forensic officers and bomb-disposal police to inspect the fire-gutted areas on Saturday morning.
Police said the two incidents were attacks by at least two groups of arsonists.
Footage of closed-circuit television cameras on power poles near the areas was being examined for possible clues about the attackers.
Earlier on Friday night, a string of shooting attacks targeting security officers and the burning of used car tyres hit five districts in neighbouring Pattani province. There were no casualties.
Police and bomb-disposal offices on Saturday morning inspected the five spots in Kapho, Mai Kaen, Sai Buri, Mayo and Muang districts.
In Kapho, armed men fired shots at a marine outpost at around 7.30pm.
In Mai Kaen district, an unknown number of attackers opened fire in an ambush at a security team providing protection to local residents in tambon Talor Kraithong at around 8.10pm.
Shortly later, another gun attack occurred at a combined force’s outpost in Sai Buri.
In Mayo, used car tyres were set on fire on Pattani-Narathiwat Road in tambon Langa.
At around 8.30pm, an unknown of armed men fired shots at a military base in the compound of Wat Bandee in tambon Barahom of Muang district.
