NARATHIWAT — The assistant district chief of Ra-ngae and a woman were killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen on a road in Ja-nae district early Wednesday morning, in the latest violence to rock Thailand’s restive southern border provinces.

Arsonists Target Surveillance Network in Narathiwat

An initial police report said the officer, Monchai Chitkamonkarn, who was in charge of security, was traveling home in a private car with Haida Bueraheang, a resident of Dusongyo subdistrict, at approximately 1am. As their car approached Ban Sukae, a group of gunmen hiding in roadside bushes opened fire on the vehicle, killing both occupants. The motive for the attack is under investigation.

Concurrent Violence in Ra-ngae

Earlier, in Ra-ngae district, police reported that four construction vehicles at a roadworks site — including a backhoe, a water tanker, a grader and a road roller — were torched, and two workers were tied up by a group of about 10 assailants. A third worker was reportedly abducted but later released. Several fire engines rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze, but all four vehicles were damaged beyond repair.

Series of Explosions

Three explosions were reported in Ra-ngae district on Tuesday, though no injuries were reported. The first occurred at a shop, the second at a convenience store next to a branch of an Islamic bank, and the third involved a device placed in a garbage bin at an intersection on Ra-ngae Road.

Police reviewing CCTV footage from the two shops found that four suspects, riding two motorcycles, had planted the explosive devices inside the outlets before fleeing the scene.

The assistant district chief of Ra-ngae, in the restive southern province of Narathiwat, and a woman were killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen on a road in Ja-nae district early Wednesday morning.https://t.co/EzghdRyPcg #ThaiPBSWorld pic.twitter.com/LAq2afzZMP

— Thai PBS World (@ThaiPBSWorld) April 1, 2026

Long-running Insurgency

The attacks underscore the persistent instability in Thailand’s deep south, where a long-running insurgency has claimed thousands of lives since escalating in 2004. Malay-Muslim separatist groups continue to target security forces, government officials and perceived state symbols in their campaign for greater autonomy from the Buddhist-majority state.

Security forces have been placed on heightened alert following the coordinated attacks, with additional patrols deployed across Narathiwat and neighboring provinces. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and gathering intelligence to identify those responsible.

Seven Bombs Rock Narathiwat in Coordinated Overnight Attacks

For the families of the two victims and the broader community in Ra-ngae, the violence serves as a grim reminder of the enduring insecurity that defines daily life in Thailand’s southern borderlands — where ambushes, arson and bombings remain tragically routine despite years of peace efforts.

-Thailand News (TN)