Narathiwat Pays 21.7m Compensation After Bombings

Picture courtesy of Workpoint

The Governor of Narathiwat has begun distributing compensation worth 21.7 million baht to those affected by coordinated bomb attacks on five petrol stations across the province, providing immediate financial relief and accelerating recovery efforts. The payments aim to restore business confidence and support affected operators after widespread property damage. Officials confirmed that overall rehabilitation has already reached more than 90%.

The attacks occurred late at night on 11 January 2026, when assailants planted explosives at petrol stations in five districts: Rangae, Chanae, Cho-airong, Waeng and Su-ngai Kolok. A total of 20 affected parties reported damage to 36 items of property, according to the Narathiwat Provincial Relief Operations Centre. The approved compensation totals exactly 21,723,176 baht.

On 17 January 2026, Narathiwat Governor Boonchuay Homyamyen presided over the compensation handover ceremony at the PTT petrol station in Tanyongmas, Rangae district. Damaged assets included fuel station structures, 7-Eleven convenience stores, Café Amazon outlets, retail shops, office buildings, food courts, prayer halls and a hotel. Vehicles such as cars and motorcycles, as well as personal items including mobile phones, were also affected.

Governor Boonchuay said the rapid progress was due to close cooperation between local administrative organisation engineers and provincial teams, allowing damage assessments to be completed within seven days instead of the expected ten. He outlined a three-stage payment process to ensure transparency and compliance with state regulations. The first payment was made on 17 January to help operators regain liquidity, the second will follow within seven days and a final payment within five days will settle any remaining gaps after insurance payouts.

He added that the state would cover differences where insurance compensation does not fully reflect actual losses. Responsibility for replacing damaged fuel dispensers lies with PTT Oil and Retail Business (PTTOR), which is working to reinstall equipment so stations can reopen quickly. “We promised operators the process would be completed within 10 days; after seven days we were able to pay the first round immediately,” the governor said.

Workpoint reported that in response to ongoing security concerns in the border province, authorities have intensified daily coordination between the military, police and administrative officials. Measures now focus on strict border sealing to close security gaps. The province is also preparing to coordinate with Kelantan state in Malaysia through the Thai Consulate-General to hold joint discussions on border crossings, natural routes and river traffic checks.

Key Takeaways

• Narathiwat has approved 21.72 million baht in compensation for damage from petrol station bombings on 11 January 2026.

• More than 90% of physical recovery has been completed, supported by rapid damage assessments.

• Authorities are strengthening border security and planning cooperation with Malaysia to prevent further attacks.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Workpointnews 2026-01-20