Gang of 15 Attacks Pattani Subdistrict Office, Sets Fires and Plants Bombs
A gang of at least 15 armed attackers stormed a government office in Pattani Province on August 23, setting fires and detonating explosives that destroyed four municipal vehicles and damaged the building. Investigators suspect involvement b
At least 15 armed assailants stormed the Pho Ming Subdistrict Municipality office in Panare District, Pattani Province on August 23 at around 9 p.m., binding and restraining two security guards before splitting into separate teams to carry out arson and bomb attacks. Preliminary investigation confirmed four municipal vehicles sustained damage: one fire engine, one garbage truck, one pickup truck, and one ambulance. The attackers used explosives and incendiary devices to destroy vehicles in the parking garage and set fires inside the office building. They also detonated an improvised explosive device at the guard post, causing structural damage and scattering shrapnel across the area. Only the quick response of nearby firefighters prevented the office building itself from being fully consumed by flames.
Investigators identified that two municipal security staff were on duty at the guard post when the assault began. The attackers, armed with guns, entered from a wooded area behind the building, immediately captured and restrained the guards using cable ties, then dispersed to carry out their coordinated attack. One group broke into the vehicle garage, smashing windows, pouring fuel into cabins, and igniting all four parked vehicles. Another group pried open the office building's steel window grilles, entered, spread fuel inside, and set fires with the apparent intent to destroy the entire structure. A third team planted a timed explosive device at the guard post; approximately thirty minutes after the attackers withdrew toward the rear of the compound, the device detonated, destroying the guard house and sending shrapnel across the surrounding area.
After the attack, firefighters from neighboring subdistricts arrived to contain the blaze. Officials are currently collecting evidence from closed-circuit camera footage and the scene itself. Preliminary assessment suggests the attack was carried out not only by a known militant faction responsible for previous attacks in the area, but also involved previously unidentified individuals or supporters who remain without arrest warrants and may have served logistical and reconnaissance roles.
