BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, already facing a flooding crisis in the country’s north, held an urgent meeting Sunday with top security officials in response to coordinated violence overnight in three southern provinces where a small-scale Muslim insurgency is active. The meeting, held shortly before Anutin flew north to inspect the severely flooded Nan province, followed 51 incidents on Saturday night in the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat. Pattani and Yala. The attackers did not confront military or police forces. Only three civilians are known to have been injured and were reported to be recovering on Sunday. The violence primarily involved small bombs, arson, and other forms of property damage. The most prominent target was a 7-Eleven convenience store in Pattani. A video circulating on social media appeared to show armed men lurking outside the store as customers and workers fled before it was set on fire. A bomb that damaged railway tracks in Narathiwat forced the suspension of local and long-distance services. It was unclear when they would be restored due to the uncertain security situation. As is often the case in these types of incidents, no group was immediately publicly blamed or claimed responsibility for their actions. However, it is generally believed that these attacks were carried out by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu Patani (BRN). It is the main insurgent group in the south that has the organizational means and support to carry out such action. It is also the group with which the Thai government has been holding on-again, off-again peace talks. The three southernmost provinces are the only Muslim-majority provinces in predominantly Buddhist Thailand and the BRN has said it seeks self-government for them. Muslim residents have long complained of being treated as second-class citizens in Thailand, and separatist movements have been periodically active for decades. Insurgent violence increased sharply in 2004 and was repressed with a heavy hand, further fueling discontent. According to Deep South Watch, a think tank based at the Prince of Songkla University campus in Pattani, 7,837 people have been killed in violence over the past 22 years. The last major flare-up occurred in July, when about 10 attackers opened fire and threw homemade bombs at soldiers at a security checkpoint in Narathiwat. Five paramilitary soldiers were killed and six civilians were injured, including a 10-year-old boy. Subscribe to Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the day’s biggest headlines. Don Pathan, an independent security analyst, says the BRN carries out attacks largely to gain influence while negotiating with the Thai government. “From the ground, BRN fighters are discouraged by the boasts of military officers and wanted to use the increase in violence to demonstrate their capabilities,” Pathan said. “Many of the targets of these latest incidents were civilians, but the BRN fighters were not looking for body counts. They want to send a stern message to the Thais of what they are capable of.”
