Pol. Gen. Tawi Presides Over Kathin in Restive Tan Yong Limo
Former Justice Minister and Prachachat Party leader Pol. Gen. Tawi Sodsong presided over a Kathin ceremony at Wat Pa Phai in Narathiwat's troubled Tan Yong Limo subdistrict. The visit highlights the area's grim history as a flashpoint in the southern insurgency, from the 2005 Tak Bai siege to recent bombings and a 2026 assassination attempt on a local MP involving suspects from the same community. Tawi underscored the region's multicultural character during his engagement with residents.
On November 8, 2026, Pol. Gen. Tawi Sodsong, party-list MP and leader of the Prachachat Party, in his capacity as chair of the House Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights and former justice minister, presided over a united Kathin ceremony at Wat Pa Phai in Moo 5, Tan Yong Limo subdistrict, Ra-ngae district, Narathiwat province. The event was more than a traditional merit-making duty for a top politician; it represented a step into a "symbolic strategic point" layered with two decades of violent history and unresolved national security cases.
The name Tan Yong Limo has long appeared in southern border security case files, most notably the tragic events of September 20-21, 2005. The incident began when gunmen opened fire on a tea shop in the village, killing one villager, before escalating into a mass protest that besieged and detained officials at the Ra-ngae district office. Two officials, Winai Nakachat and Kamthon Thong-ud Navikayothin, were killed at the child development center. That event became a pivotal milestone in the history of the southern conflict.
The area has seen continuous violence since, including a shooting and bomb planted at an investigation checkpoint on November 24, 2012, the storming of the Ban Lalue Ranger base with weapons seized on January 24, 2013, and ongoing flare-ups in 2026 such as a car bomb at the old Tan Yong police station in July and a roadside bomb on Highway 4056 on August 22, part of a plan to disrupt over 40 locations across Narathiwat.
Beyond the southern insurgency, Tan Yong Limo has been linked to a criminal case that shook the political arena: the war-weapon attack on the vehicle of Narathiwat MP Kamonwat Liwamo of the Prachachat Party in the early hours of March 20, 2026, in front of a residence in Ban Som Poi, Moo 9, Ba-cho subdistrict, Ba-cho district. Seven suspects were involved, with key roles played by locals from Tan Yong Limo. Somphong Langdech, a former marine ranger and native of Ban To Lang, Moo 3, Tan Yong Limo, was identified as a key coordinator who managed movements and designated targets alongside his son. Thanaphut Watthanaphinyo, a former Thahan Phran ranger, was named as the shooter. Alawi Awae drove the hit team to and from the scene. Sunthon Phromphakdi, owner of a garage in Tak Bai district, received the pickup used in the attack to dismantle and destroy evidence. Police Maj. Gen. Montri Toprasit, former head of human resources at the Narathiwat Provincial Police, authorized the use of a provincial police vehicle for the crime; he faces severe disciplinary action, a civil damages suit, and criminal charges under Sections 151 and 157 of the Penal Code. Pol. Lt. Decho, a former marine intelligence officer, was a key witness who reportedly coordinated by phone immediately after the attack to send the vehicle to the Tak Bai garage for destruction.
During his meeting with local Buddhists and residents, Pol. Gen. Tawi emphasized the area's multicultural dimension, stating: "Our area is a multicultural society with the unique characteristic of having Muslim brothers and sisters..."
