Category: The Bangkok Post

The latest unrest in the southern border provinces shows an insurgency adapting faster than the state’s response, demanding a strategy beyond military containment.

An evolving threat

The 75 incidents across Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla on Aug 22-23 should be read as more than another eruption of violence in a conflict lasting more than two decades.

The coordinated attacks targeted government facilities, infrastructure and other public property, leaving 11 people injured and causing widespread damage.

Their significance lies in what they reveal about the movement behind the unrest: an ability to mobilise across several areas, attract new participants and combine physical attacks with information operations.

Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, believes insurgent networks may be expanding their pool of operatives through younger recruits and people who have not previously appeared on security agencies’ lists. He refers to these new operatives as “white-faced bandits” — people without an established criminal or security record.

If that assessment is correct, a security model centred on known individuals will be difficult to sustain. New recruits can operate outside established databases, making community-level intelligence and public cooperation more important.

Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of Deep South Watch and a researcher at the Centre for Conflict and Cultural Diversity Studies at Prince of Songkla University, also sees signs of greater participation by younger people.

The significance is not simply that younger people may be joining. Mr Srisompob said the movement’s ideological continuity remains strong, with networks developed over the past two decades still capable of bringing new participants into the conflict.

The latest violence suggests the insurgency has not exhausted its capacity for renewal. For the state, generational change is becoming a strategic issue rather than merely a demographic one.

Signals from attacks

The pattern of the attacks also provides clues about how the movement wants to be perceived.

Mr Srisompob says the targets were largely government-related locations and public infrastructure. In some incidents, civilians were moved away from places such as convenience stores before attacks took place.

The perpetrators appeared to seek visible, symbolic disruption while limiting direct civilian casualties. That does not remove the wider impact on communities, which still face fear, property losses and disruption to daily life.

Mr Srisompob points to allegations that a military helicopter fired on young people in Narathiwat as an example of the information challenge. Whether such claims are ultimately established or disproved, he says some young people in local communities believe the military was responsible.

That perception matters because information can gain influence when it fits existing distrust. The government cannot assume that official explanations will automatically be accepted in communities where confidence in the state remains fragile.

The response needs credible communication alongside security operations. Transparency, timely information and sustained engagement with communities are essential if the state is to prevent rumours and unverified claims from further widening the gap between residents and security personnel, he said.

Security and politics

The government’s immediate challenge is to protect communities without reinforcing the grievances that sustain the conflict.

Mr Srisompob believes a predominantly military response could deepen negative attitudes towards the state, particularly among younger people. Repeated reliance on martial law, emergency measures or intensified security operations could generate resentment and further weaken confidence.

Mr Wanwichit identifies another institutional weakness: the tendency to place responsibility for major security failures heavily on the commander of the Fourth Army Area.

He said pressuring or changing commanders after major incidents can damage continuity and morale while leaving the broader institutional problem unresolved. Responsibility, he believes, should be shared among the military, police and provincial administrations.

He proposes that senior personnel assigned to the southern border provinces should remain for at least two years before being transferred. Such continuity could strengthen local knowledge, institutional memory and relationships with communities.

The national political context adds another layer. Mr Wanwichit views the change in National Security Council leadership as an opportunity for closer coordination between the political leadership and the military establishment, giving the government faster access to operational assessments.

Politics before force

The longer-term question is whether Thailand can prevent security operations from becoming the central measure of progress in a conflict with political and ideological dimensions.

Mr Wanwichit believes there may be competing currents within the insurgent movement, with some favouring negotiation and others favouring violence. The latest attacks could therefore reflect an effort to strengthen those who believe force remains necessary.

Mr Srisompob identifies two possible scenarios. The first is escalation, with the state increasing military pressure and the insurgent movement responding with further violence.

Such a cycle could produce more casualties, human rights concerns, public opposition and higher military expenditure, while the movement itself also faces limits on its ability to sustain increasingly intensive operations.

The second is a return to the peace process once both sides recognise that violence cannot deliver their objectives.

“The government should work to make the second scenario more likely,” Mr Srisompob said.

That does not require accepting separatism or creating a special administrative zone. Rather, political space should remain open for discussions about rights, governance, identity and security without requiring either side to abandon its fundamental position before negotiations begin.

“The objective should be to make dialogue a viable alternative to violence, particularly for younger generations who may otherwise inherit the conflict without experiencing its original political context,” he said.

Regional leverage

Malaysia could provide an additional channel for engagement. Mr Wanwichit proposes Thailand broaden political contacts in Malaysia, including with Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).

His proposal reflects perceptions that PAS has influence in areas connected to the southern conflict and that engagement could provide Thailand with information and communication channels unavailable through existing contacts.

He believes such contact could provide Thailand with new information and give it greater leverage in future negotiations.

These perceived links should not be presented as established evidence of direct involvement. The strategic value of the proposal instead lies in testing whether wider political engagement could produce useful information, create additional channels of communication and strengthen the prospects for compromise.

The broader lesson is that regional diplomacy should complement domestic peace efforts rather than remain separate from them.

Security operations remain necessary to protect communities, but force alone cannot secure the public confidence needed for effective intelligence gathering. Institutional continuity is needed to preserve local knowledge, while credible communication is essential to counter misinformation.

Most importantly, political dialogue must remain possible even when violence makes engagement difficult.

The strategic objective should shift from simply containing the next attack to reducing the conditions that enable the next generation of attacks. The real test for the government is not whether it can respond more forcefully.

Armed insurgents stormed into a big department store in Pattani on Saturday evening, forcing customers and employees to leave before detonating three bombs.

Security officials believe the insurgents were attempting to fuel unrest in the southern border province ahead of floated, approaching talks in Malaysia.

The attack on the Global House store in tambon Bana of Muang Pattani district began shortly before 7pm.

Armed men first evicted customers and staff. Three explosions rocked the building minutes later.

Five masked men armed with assault rifles and handguns had arrived on two motorcycles and a motorcycle-sidecar combination, Pol Col Jeffrey Salaimankul, chief of Muang Pattani police station, said on Sunday.

Two of the attackers subdued security guards at the entrance, while two others entered the store and ordered staff and customers to leave. The men then planted three explosive devices at different locations inside the building.

A fifth suspect parked the bomb-laden sidecar in the store’s loading area.

Before fleeing, one of the attackers told a security guard: ‘If you do not want anyone to be killed, hurry and get everyone out of the store.’

The suspects escaped on motorcycles. About five minutes later, three bombs exploded inside the store. No deaths or injuries were reported.

Security forces sealed off the area amid fears that additional explosives had been left behind.

An explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit led by Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 9, inspected the sidecar combination left in the loading bay. A drone detected suspicious objects inside the vehicle and the team deployed a robot to disable the device before moving the sidecar to a safe area for examination.

The vehicle contained an improvised bomb packed into a gas cylinder weighing nearly 50 kilogrammes, along with seven gallons of petrol. They spent two hours safely dismantling it. Police said the device may have malfunctioned after its triggering mechanism was disturbed during transport, but was capable of causing extensive damage had it detonated.

Pol Lt Gen Piyawat said the motorcycle-sidecar appeared to be a booby trap, intended to be remotely detonated after security personnel were lured to the scene.

‘EOD personnel have disabled part of the triggering system and are continuing inspections to ensure the area is safe,’ he said.

Security personnel remained at the scene on Sunday morning to assess damage and gather forensic evidence.

A suspect was arrested at his home in Aranyaprathet district on Sunday after a local gold shop was bombed and robbed of gold necklaces worth about 5 million baht on Thursday.

Anont Udthiram, 36, was taken into custody from house 177/9 in tambon Tha Kham.

Police allege that Mr Anont confessed to robbing the Yaowarat Krungthep gold shop in the Lotus’s superstore in Aranyaprathet district on Thursday last week. The suspect took police to the place where he said he hid about 50 gold necklaces he snatched from the shop.

According to police, Mr Anont had prepared for the robbery by spray-painting over distinguishing marks on his motorcycle. He also bought clothing and a wig to conceal his identity.

After the robbery, he hid the motorcycle, clothing and the stolen gold in a forest near a railway track in Bang Nong Thao village in tambon Ban Mai of Aranyaprathet, and returned home.

The suspect allegedly said he used a starter-gun, with blanks, and homemade smoke bombs. He allegedly said he robbed the shop because he needed money.

The number of Covid-19 cases has risen in recent months, with 95,357 infections and 14 deaths recorded from Jan 1 to Friday.

Montien Kanasawat, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said on Saturday the figures came from the DDC’s Digital Disease Surveillance system. The cumulative infection rate was 144.76 per 100,000 people, while the case fatality rate was 0.01%.

He said cases had increased over the past month, alongside rising numbers of other respiratory illnesses, including influenza and RSV.

NB.1.8.1 remained the dominant Covid-19 variant in Thailand. Data from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data database, compiled by the Department of Medical Sciences, recorded 978 samples from Jan 1, 2025 to July 23.

The NB.1.8.1 variant accounted for 490 samples, or 50.10%, followed by JN.1 at 25.15%, XEC at 8.38% and XFG at 7.77%. Among 48 samples collected between June 19 and July 20, NB.1.8.1 accounted for 56.25%, while JN.1 represented 31.25%.

Dr Montien attributed the rising cases partly to changing weather and the seasonal spread of respiratory diseases, which could lead to clusters in schools, workplaces and communities.

He urged people with respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, a runny nose, headaches or fatigue to rest, reduce close contact with others and wear masks when necessary.

Dr Direk Khampaen, deputy director-general of the department, advised people to follow the principle of “rest when sick, reduce close contact”, wash their hands frequently and keep indoor spaces well ventilated.

Those with breathing difficulties, chest pain or reduced consciousness should seek medical care immediately, he said.

Police have so far found no evidence of arson in the Klongthom Shopping Centre fire to support speculation of a conspiracy to force some businesses out, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Sunday.

He said the stability of the fire-ravaged structure was now being assessed before a full forensic inspection could begin.

Police have questioned nearly 100 witnesses and affected parties, with most accounts indicating that smoke was first seen emerging from the central section of the building before the fire spread rapidly through the complex, according to Pol Maj Gen Chaikrit Pho-a, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 6.

A huge fire tore through the popular shopping centre on Worachak Road on Friday night, causing extensive damage, including the collapse of large sections of the building.

– Structural assessment under way –

Mr Chadchart inspected the site on Sunday with officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and local police. He said authorities were focusing on three priorities: extinguishing lingering hotspots, assessing the building’s structural integrity, and preparing for its eventual demolition.

Access to the interior remained restricted because the collapse of the second floor left columns, beams and debris piled up in the lower-level retail area, creating safety risks for emergency personnel.

Material trapped inside could also still fuel flare-ups, making it unsafe for officials to carry out a full inspection.

The BMA would ask structural experts who previously assisted in the response to the collapse of the State Audit Office tower to help determine which sections could be safely removed to allow crews to reach areas where there were still hot spots.

– Forensic inspection –

Authorities spent Sunday preparing a map of the area where the fire is believed to have begun and them spread through the building, drawing on CCTV footage, video clips and images shared on social media.

If safety conditions permit, forensic police and BMA engineers were expected to enter the site at 8am on Monday to begin looking for the cause of the blaze.

The investigation would focus on the suspected ignition point, electrical systems and records of access to the building.

Mr Chadchart said the building’s main power supply was normally shut off about 8pm each day, yet the fire broke out shortly before 9pm. Investigators would therefore need to verify the electrical system and determine exactly when power was cut.

– Traders still barred from site –

Pol Maj Gen Chaikrit confirmed the investigation had so far uncovered no indication that the blaze was linked to arson or any alleged attempt to force businesses from the market building. Most of those questioned had filed complaints over damage to goods and property.

Police have maintained round-the-clock security at the site and are not allowing traders or business operators to enter because the structure remains unsafe.

The cause of the fire will not be determined until forensic examinations and structural assessments are completed, he said.

China is accelerating efforts to end dependence on foreign technology, with reports indicating the Ministry of State Security has instructed select government-affiliated agencies to remove Windows 10 from computers ahead of schedule and transition to domestically controlled operating systems.

The phase-out targets not only standard Windows 10 releases but also the Windows 10 CMIT Government Edition. Developed by C and M Information Technologies (CMIT), a joint venture between Microsoft and China Electronics Technology Group (CETC), this specialized build was tailored to meet strict national security, encryption and data management standards.

The government edition was slated for decommissioning by February 2027 but several key entities have already begun uninstalling the software months early, amid growing national security and data privacy concerns.

While the mandate currently applies to select state-linked entities rather than a blanket ban across all civil agencies, the directive signals a broader push to replace foreign technology – spanning office software, chips, servers, databases and cloud infrastructure – with home-grown alternatives.

Domestic platforms expected to step into the void include Linux-based Kylin OS and UnionTech UOS, alongside Huawei’s HarmonyOS, which is expanding rapidly from consumer devices into enterprise and public sector applications.

HarmonyOS holds a distinct advantage following the safety certification of its HongMeng Kernel desktop version by Chinese regulators in 2026, positioning it as a viable enterprise option for state infrastructure.

China has spent years enforcing policies to curb reliance on foreign tech, including mandatory hardware procurement guidelines favouring “safe and reliable” domestic vendors and increasing Chinese operating system quotas in public tenders.

The move underlines Beijing’s long-term intention to reduce reliance on Western firms. Even with Microsoft offering custom builds that grant local authorities greater control over updates and encryption, China remains determined to construct an end-to-end technology ecosystem under total domestic control.

It remains to be seen how smoothly systems like HarmonyOS, Kylin and UOS can fully replace Windows across large-scale government and corporate networks.

Three key economic agencies have urged the Labour Ministry to review plans to extend Section 33 of the Social Security Act to additional categories of workers, citing concerns over the financial impact on workers, employers and the state.

The concerns were raised after the cabinet approved in principle a draft royal decree expanding mandatory coverage under Section 33 to workers who are currently exempt.

The proposed expansion would cover employees in crop cultivation, forestry and livestock businesses, as well as household workers, gardeners, drivers and street vendors.

The Labour Ministry has been asked to assess the broader economic and welfare impact of the measure before it is implemented.

The Finance Ministry warned that the expansion would create additional contribution costs for the government, employers and workers.

It urged the Labour Ministry to ensure registration and contribution systems are practical, efficient and appropriate for small employers and their workers.

The ministry also said the measure could create financial obligations for the state under the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2018 and called for a review of its costs, benefits and implications for long-term fiscal sustainability.

The Budget Bureau, meanwhile, pointed to high living costs, the slowing economy and an energy crisis linked to conflicts in the Middle East.

Many of the workers targeted by the measure have low or unstable incomes, while some are migrant workers, it said.

Mandatory contributions could raise costs for workers and small employers, potentially leading to job cuts, fewer working days and attempts to avoid formal employment, the bureau warned. Such effects could also weaken the grassroots economy.

If the Labour Ministry proceeds with the expansion, the Budget Bureau urged it to conduct a careful review to avoid creating future burdens for insured workers, employers and the state budget.

It also recommended considering voluntary participation for workers seeking social security protection and ensuring the long-term stability of the Social Security Fund.

The National Economic and Social Development Council urged the Social Security Office to develop efficient systems for employer registration and employment reporting, including simpler contribution calculations and links to salary data.

The draft decree would extend Section 33 protection to three groups of workers previously exempted, giving eligible workers access to benefits covering illness, cancer, maternity, disability, death, old age and unemployment. The expansion is expected to steadily increase the number of insured workers from 2026, reaching more than 1.05 million by 2030.

Police seized 4 million methamphetamine pills worth an estimated 200 million baht and arrested a van driver following a late-night chase in this northeastern province.

The arrest was made shortly before midnight on Saturday after police received a tip-off that a large drug shipment was being transported from the border area into the country’s interior, using a Bangkok-registered van.

Chanuman police set up surveillance along a road linking Ban Hin Siw and Ban Na Yang in Chanuman district. When a Volkswagen van matching the description was spotted, police signalled for it to stop.

The driver instead attempted to flee, police said, triggering a pursuit before police intercepted the vehicle and arrested the suspect, identified only as Kriengkrai, 54.

A search of the van found 10 sacks containing about 4 million meth pills, or ya ba, with an estimated street value of 200 million baht, Pol Lt Col Komsan Khamwan, investigative inspector at Chanuman police station, said on Sunday.

Mr Konsan allegedly admitted he had been hired by a Lao man known as “Mr Ta” to collect the drugs and deliver them to customers further inland. He told police he had been promised 100,000 baht for the job but would not be paid because he was arrested before completing the delivery.

The suspect was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.

Pol Lt Col Komsan said police were expanding the investigation to identify others involved in the trafficking operation.

Police and human security officials arrested Thai, Lao and Ugandan women for alleged street prostitution on Saturday night, only days ahead of the arrival of about 5,000 crew and marines aboard a US navy strike group.

The 20-strong team detained 18 Thai women, five Lao women and two Ugandan women along Pattaya beach, Pattaya Sai 2 Road and other public areas on Saturday night and charged them with street prostitution.

Janjira Thaibundit, social development and human security chief in Chon Buri, said the arrested women were fined and later released. The action reflected enforcement of the law against street prostitution, which is illegal, and was also aimed at preventing minors being drawn into the street trade, she said.

Pol Lt Col Siriwat Katchamat, deputy chief of crime suppression at Pattaya police station, said action against street prostitution would continue. They would also be looking for any children forced to work as vendors or beggars.

He encouraged people and businesses in Pattaya to be good hosts and to welcome visitors, tourists and the military personnel expected to arrive in large numbers.

The Tourism Department’s plan to reinstate the security deposit for tour companies at the pre-pandemic rate will not help curb fraud against tourists, instead increasing the burden on licensed operators, according to the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA).

The group said the authority should instead focus on regulating high-risk and illegal operators.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is conducting a public hearing on the website law.go.th until next month regarding a ministerial draft specifying the security deposit amount for tour companies, which is required under the Tourism Business and Guide Act.

Jaturon Phakdeewanit, director-general of the department, said the authority wants to reinstate the 2019 deposit amount after reducing it to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on tour operators.

Under the new regulation, tour companies offering services in a specific area or the domestic market are mandated to place a security deposit of 10,000 baht or 50,000 baht respectively, up from the reduced rates of 3,000 baht and 15,000 baht.

Meanwhile, inbound tour companies and general tour companies offering outbound packages are required to deposit 100,000 baht and 200,000 baht respectively, up from 30,000 baht and 60,000 baht.

In recent years, there have been numerous cases of tour companies defrauding travellers, particularly outbound tour operators, said Mr Jaturon.

The paltry security deposits were insufficient to compensate victims, leaving many waiting until lawsuits against the perpetrators could be concluded.

“The higher amount should make businesses more cautious in their operations,” he said.

According to the Tourism Department, the main objective of this deposit is to provide advance compensation for tourists affected by tour operators that breach agreements, advertisements and requirements specified under the law.

These offences include abandoning tour groups and providing services that do not match ads, said Mr Jaturon.

“Increasing the deposit amount may improve protection and compensation for tourists in cases of damage to some extent. However, if the primary objective is to reduce fraud or scams against tourists, this may not be a direct solution,” said Kanlayanee Assanee, president of TTAA.

Instead, she said the move will create a burden for licensed companies and could impact their liquidity, especially small and medium-sized operators, while those who intentionally deceive tourists and illegal tour companies are not addressed.

Mrs Kanlayanee said the authority should focus on regulating high-risk operators, cracking down on illegal vendors and addressing complaints quickly.

Meanwhile, the deposit hike should be calculated at an appropriate rate based on actual economic conditions, rather than simply aiming for the same rate as before the pandemic, she noted.

The authorities should also summarise data from previous cases involving damage, including the causes of the problems, the types of operators involved and how effectively the deposit helped mitigate the impact, said Mrs Kanlayanee.

All feedback from the hearing will be considered by the Tourism Business and Guide Committee, chaired by the ministry’s permanent secretary and comprising representatives from private stakeholders, said Mr Jaturon.