Bomb Experts Probe Motorcycle Attack on Pattani Police
A bomb-rigged motorcycle detonated on a Pattani highway, injuring four police officers in what authorities believe was retaliation for a previous operation in the Tarutao mountain range.
An unidentified suspect drove a motorcycle rigged with explosives to a roadside location on Highway 42 in Pattani province opposite the Palas petrol station, parked it, and fled into nearby scrubland in Mueang District. When the motorcycle detonated shortly afterward, an Isuzu D-Max police vehicle from Mueang Police Station happened to pass by, injuring four officers with minor injuries including ear ringing and chest tightness. The blast also damaged the police vehicle.
Investigators determined that the suspect used approximately 10 kilograms of commercial dynamite attached to a stolen Honda Scoopy motorcycle. The suspect, described as wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and sarong-like garment with a shoulder bag, fled on foot into the forest with assistance from an accomplice. Authorities believe this attack was orchestrated in retaliation after police neutralized two armed suspects in the Tarutao mountain range on September 9. The bombing was timed to target the passing police vehicle. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team is currently investigating the device type and the motorcycle's theft origin.
