YALA — Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pledged on Friday to accelerate peace efforts in Thailand’s deep South as suspected insurgents carried out a series of arson attacks believed to be symbolic acts timed precisely to coincide with his visit to the restive border provinces.

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Speaking at the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre in Yala, Anutin chaired a meeting with security officials, provincial governors and military leaders to coordinate policy responses to the long-running insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives over the past two decades. He described the government’s commitment to solving the unrest as a national priority formally declared before parliament, signalling that the administration intends to place the southern conflict higher on its agenda than some previous governments have done.

“We came here with determination to support officials working in the southern border provinces and to confirm the government places the highest importance on solving these problems and advancing development,” Anutin said. The administration would continue to apply His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great’s principle of “understand, access and develop,” urging the need for local understanding, direct engagement with communities and sustainable development tailored to the specific contexts of the five southern provinces: Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

The prime minister also highlighted the importance of adapting to rapidly evolving conditions on the ground, urging officials to remain responsive to dynamics that may affect the region’s fragile security environment. His itinerary included meetings in Yala, a security briefing at Sirindhorn military camp in Pattani, and a visit to the Sungai Kolok customs checkpoint in Narathiwat, a key border crossing point with Malaysia.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pledged to accelerate peace efforts in the deep South as suspected insurgents carried out arson attacks believed to be symbolic acts timed with his visit.

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Anutin also used the visit to attempt to defuse a growing controversy over remarks made by Lieutenant General Norathip Phoynok, the commander of the 4th Army Area, whose comments had alarmed the public and prompted calls for his transfer. Both the general and the prime minister apologised for the remarks, with Norathip insisting that his intention, as director of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command, was solely to help restore peace in the troubled area. The controversy had threatened to overshadow the government’s messaging on the region, and Anutin’s intervention appeared aimed at calming the situation.

Hours before the prime minister’s arrival, however, authorities reported a late-night arson attack in Sungai Kolok district, Narathiwat, in what security officials believe was a deliberate provocation timed to send a message to the visiting leader. Assailants allegedly crossed the Golok River from Malaysia’s Kelantan state, where water levels have dropped significantly during the dry season, making the normally difficult crossing much easier. The attackers set fire to construction machinery belonging to a local contractor, destroying a backhoe and a road roller. Workers at the site were threatened and forced to flee before the equipment was doused with fuel and set ablaze. Firefighters took more than 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control, and investigators later found traces of fuel at the scene, which were collected as evidence.

In a separate incident, tyres were set on fire at two locations approximately 500 metres apart in Tak Bai district, also in Narathiwat. Local residents and officials worked together to extinguish those fires before they could spread to nearby structures. Security sources believe the coordinated incidents were intended as symbolic acts to challenge authorities and draw attention to the insurgents’ continued ability to operate despite years of military and police pressure. By striking on the day of the prime minister’s visit, the attackers ensured maximum publicity for their cause while demonstrating that the region remains far from pacified.

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The arson attacks serve as a stark reminder that while the government speaks of peace and development, the reality on the ground in Thailand’s deep South remains volatile. For Anutin, the visit was meant to showcase his administration’s commitment to solving one of the country’s most intractable problems. Instead, the prime minister arrived to find smoke rising from burning machinery and tyres, a scene that underscores just how far the region remains from lasting peace. Security forces have been placed on heightened alert as the investigation into the attacks continues, and no arrests have been reported at this stage.

-Thailand News (TN)