A court has issued an arrest warrant for a suspect in the deadly Narathiwat checkpoint attack as Defence Minister Lt Gen Adul Boonthumjaroen pledged to bring those responsible to justice.
The Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command (ISOC 4) said Narathiwat Provincial Court had approved a warrant for Mr Azizun (surname withheld), from Chanae district, over the shooting and pipe bomb attack on the Buket Sami checkpoint in tambon Tanyong Mat of Rangae district on July 22.
The attack targeted a Ranger Company 4509 unit while officers were providing security at the checkpoint at 6.45pm. Five rangers were killed: Sgt Maj Theerayut Somakoet and Ranger volunteers Wimon Dapthong, Zakariya Jehna, Natsit Kaewsena and Solahuding Pi.
Six civilians were injured, including two boys aged 10 and 15 and a girl aged three. All have since been discharged from hospital, except the 10-year-old boy who remains under close medical supervision at Rangae Hospital.
Lt Gen Adul, who visited the attack site on Saturday before meeting the injured boy, said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had instructed him to monitor the investigation and ensure those responsible were brought to justice.
He said the assault was a carefully planned attack targeting security personnel, and every available measure would be used to apprehend those involved. Those responsible would face legal action whether they remained in Thailand or fled abroad, he said.
Mr Azizun is wanted under two arrest warrants. The latest warrant, issued by Rangae Police Station, relates to the July 22 attack.
He also faces an earlier warrant issued at the request of Sungai Kolok police over a shooting and bombing in Sungai Kolok municipality on March 8, 2025.
Authorities also brought in another individual, Mr Mahamasri (surname withheld), from Sai Buri district in Pattani, for questioning at the 46th Ranger Regiment's interrogation centre to assist investigators in identifying other people linked to the assault.
ISOC 4 said CCTV footage showed more than 10 armed men travelling in a pickup truck and on motorcycles.
Six attackers, dressed in black and wearing wide-brimmed hats to conceal their identities, rode in the back of the pickup, while another team on a motorcycle acted as scouts and provided cover during the escape.
The attackers opened fire with M16 and AK-style rifles before throwing pipe bombs at the checkpoint.
After overpowering the rangers, they seized four AK rifles, a handgun, ammunition magazines and body armour before fleeing towards Dusong Yo district. The entire assault lasted about 90 seconds.
Investigators are also examining a burnt-out pickup truck found later that evening in Sri Sakhon district.
The vehicle is believed to have been used in the attack and set alight to destroy forensic evidence. Officers are verifying its chassis number after discovering the licence plate belonged to another pickup registered in Songkhla.
Separately, investigators also made progress in the probe into the car bomb attack outside the old Tanyong police station in Muang district, Narathiwat, on July 21, with two suspects now facing arrest warrants.
The attack, carried out using an improvised explosive device concealed in a vehicle, slightly injured a police officer and damaged the police station and other government property.
Narathiwat Provincial Court has approved arrest warrants for Mr Azmin (surname withheld), from Sungai Padi district, and Mr Abdulrahim (surname withheld), from Tak Bai district. Both men were already wanted under previous warrants linked to earlier security incidents in Narathiwat.
Two other people have also been taken to security interrogation centres for questioning as investigators continue expanding the inquiry and pursuing other suspects believed to have been involved in both attacks.
