Armed Gunmen Attack Pattani Tax Office, Two Injured
Two gunmen on a motorcycle fired 16 rounds at the Mueang Pattani Excise Office on August 4, injuring two people and forcing the branch's temporary closure due to security concerns.
On August 4, 2569, the Excise Department reported an armed attack on its Mueang Pattani branch office at approximately 11:00 a.m. Police officers from the Southern Border Provinces Investigation Division were processing a tobacco-related case with a suspect seated at a marble table outside the office when, at around 11:24 a.m., two gunmen on a motorcycle dressed as Muslim women opened fire with a rifle, discharging 16 rounds that pierced the building's glass windows and walls.
Excise Commissioner Dr. Pornchai Theerawech immediately ordered Jiranun Jaihaow, director of the Excise Office Region 9, to the scene to assess the situation. Damage assessments found two injured persons: Nurahaiyatee Saaem, treated at Mueang Pattani Hospital, and Jiraphon Saenkamnueng, an excise official who sustained glass fragment injuries to her mouth. Property damage included 16 impact points on the office building's glass and walls, plus one motorcycle with a damaged taillight.
Due to the incident's impact on public services and staff safety, local security authorities assessed the situation and recommended temporary closure of the Mueang Pattani branch until the security situation stabilizes. The Finance Ministry and Excise Department expressed concern for public and staff safety and announced the temporary closure of the Mueang Pattani Excise Office branch. The public may instead access services at the main Pattani Excise Office, 10 Srudsdit Road, Sabarang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Pattani Province, via telephone numbers 073-349041, 098-6427660, 093-7211374, 082-4343125, and 088-7863313.
