YouTube just put this in front of me.

Around 51 coordinated arson and incendiary attacks struck Thailand’s southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala. Small bombs and fires damaged properties, including a 7-Eleven, while three civilians were injured.

Dated Aug 24, 2026

Waste of time......if the separatists want to create real mayhem and hence leverage, they need to this in Bangkok.

Friday night I was debating head South or North, as we were at Trang. North it was, and possibly a better choice. Would have been at Hat Yai probably on Saturday, then undecided.

Reckon news of, would have inspired me to head back north 🤣

Spent weekend around Ao Luek, Krabi and already back up at Sawi, Chumphon.

Edited August 24Aug 24 by KhunLA

Reminds me of the arson attack on schools around 1993 when 25 schools were set on fire during one night in the south of Thailand. Given that it was seen to be 'out of the blue' there were rumours that this was tied to an upcoming military budget review that may have resulted in a budget reduction....

I was working in Kelantan at the time on a hydro project and my fellow expats were more concerned about possible restrictions being placed on border crossings. That concern was short-lived with the major escalation happening around 2002 with the Tak Bai carnage and Krue Se Mosque assault of 2004 being prominent triggers for the subsequent actions which have continued to current times. Having spent many weekends in a very peaceful Tak Bai during my time in Kelantan, details of that incident were particularly shocking.

Many attempts to solve the issues have patently failed and these recent attacks suggest that a solution is as far away as ever.

I thought all this stuff had quieted down lately. Or maybe I just don't pay attention.

I remember years ago, when there were bombings related to the Tak Bai incident in 2004. And then it all seemed to disappear from the news. It's too bad people can't just get along.

Prophet Muhammad's birthday, known as Mawlid or Eid Milad-un-Nabi, is traditionally observed on the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

Which was the evening of Mon, Aug 24, thru Tue, Aug 25, 2026.

Since these shenanigans were in the "restive" south, make of that what you will.

It has been quieter in the south recently, but the separatists like to to do these coordinated attacks every now and again, particularly when they think the government has forgotten them. It's also a long holiday weekend, Tuesday 25th was the Prophet's Birthday holiday, and Monday 31st is Merdeka Day. A few bombs makes Malaysians a little edgy, though it doesn't deter that many Malaysians from coming to Thailand.

This fracas down south has been going for a year or two ain't it ?

8 minutes ago, Stocky said:

It has been quieter in the south recently, but the separatists like to to do these coordinated attacks every now and again, particularly when they think the government has forgotten them. It's also a long holiday weekend, Tuesday 25th was the Prophet's Birthday holiday, and Monday 31st is Merdeka Day. A few bombs makes Malaysians a little edgy, though it doesn't deter that many Malaysians from coming to Thailand.

I'm just surprised that this episode doesn't seem to be getting reported, except a passing mention on international venues.

I was hoping someone who lives down there could offer up some clarifications. I no longer travel that way now that my Songkhla contract has long since expired.

Shameless plug... I loved Songkhla. I recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet beach that they clean all the time.

1 minute ago, impulse said:

I'm just surprised that this episode doesn't seem to be getting reported, except a passing mention on international venues.

It was reported in the local news here and I saw articles in the Bangkok Post, The Nation, ThaiPBS etc. But these sort of incidents follow a play book, the attacks are against property, and people are seldom injured, it's part of what's become normal in the south, so the news coverage is usually fairly muted. For international news it's clearly more newsworthy.

36 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

This fracas down south has been going for a year or two ain't it ?

Indeed, this current wave of violence started about 2004, but the conflict has been on and off since 1934 when Phibun started his programme of Thaification and the cultural assimilation of the Patani people.

20 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Indeed, this current wave of violence started about 2004, but the conflict has been on and off since 1934 when Phibun started his programme of Thaification and the cultural assimilation of the Patani people.

Isn’t it accurate to label this as genocide?

3 minutes ago, nick supreme said:

Isn’t it accurate to label this as genocide?

You could argue that Phibun's intent was cultural genocide, but that hasn't happened.

9 minutes ago, nick supreme said:

Isn’t it accurate to label this as genocide?

No, they don't care who they kill, Buddhist, Muslims, anyone that doesn't adhere to their silliness. Hands off tourist though, as they don't want that kind of heat on them.

Thai military really should go house to house, get info & warn all, any support of terrorist, won't end well for you.

Up the pentalty to death sentence, for any conspiracy of, and start carrying out the sentences. Enough already.

15 minutes ago, nick supreme said:

Isn’t it accurate to label this as genocide?

Firebombing 7-Eleven is genocide?

Do the "separatists" in the South want to separate from Malaysia or Thailand

Singapore Too Dispsy Doo

Edited Thursday at 08:39 AM5 days by SiSePuede419
Singapore Too

4 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Do the "separatists" in the South want to separate from Malaysia or Thailand

Singapore Too Dispsy Doo

Originally they simply wanted to left in peace, in the 2006 report by the National Reconciliation Commission the list of demands were for recognition of their language, culture and religion, the sticking point was language, the Thai Privy Council's response was "in Thailand there is only one language and that is Thai", that was the end of sensible dialogue.

Since then there has been a shift to a more hard line stance with some of the separatist groups talking about independence. There is no wish to be part of Malaysia, and Malaysia wouldn't really want them.

It's complicated by the fact there is no single organisation that speaks for the people, rather there is an array of disparate groups which often fight each other. Much of the trouble is to do with control of the smuggling routes, and the significant revenues they generate; that's smuggling everything from simple petrol, booze & cigarettes to guns, drugs and people.

19 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Originally they simply wanted to left in peace, in the 2006 report by the National Reconciliation Commission the list of demands were for recognition of their language, culture and religion, the sticking point was language, the Thai Privy Council's response was "in Thailand there is only one language and that is Thai", that was the end of sensible dialogue.

The locals I worked with in Songkhla told me they also lost land that their families owned and lived on for generations when connected folks from Bangkok came down with dodgy paperwork. And not just on one occasion. I don't claim to know the details, but there's apparently a difference in the way Thai land ownership works and the way it worked for hundreds of years in that area.

I'd be pissed off, too. Of course, I wouldn't be burning and bombing and shooting.

Not that dodgy land dealing is unique to that area of Thailand.

Thailand on edge? Nahh dude, it's more like Thailand on yaba.🤣

This sh1SSle is just Cambodian scammers hating on our beloved Land Of Smieeees.

On 8/26/2026 at 2:13 AM, jas007 said:

I thought all this stuff had quieted down lately. Or maybe I just don't pay attention.

I remember years ago, when there were bombings related to the Tak Bai incident in 2004. And then it all seemed to disappear from the news. It's too bad people can't just get along.

Just happened to notice that around the time a certain former PM left the country things went quiet. He returned not that long ago . . ..

5 hours ago, bendejo said:

a certain former PM

He's the guy who kicked it all off.

When elected in 2001 he replaced the provincial governors with cronies who had no connection or understanding of the south. Suggestions for a casino on the border with Malaysia, with some of the profits used to benefit local communities being a case in point - zero concept that gambling being haram and consequently money from it would not be welcome. Increasing dissatisfaction lead to protests and violence which were met with military crackdowns, an increased security presence in the south, and the imposition of Martial Law in January 2004. To make matters worse, in 2004 he harnessed the problems of the south to Bush's 'Global War on Terror', which only succeeded in increasing the level of conflict, and further empowered Muslim extremists.

,

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by Stocky

On 8/27/2026 at 1:56 AM, Stocky said:

It's complicated by the fact there is no single organisation that speaks for the people, rather there is an array of disparate groups which often fight each other. Much of the trouble is to do with control of the smuggling routes, and the significant revenues they generate; that's smuggling everything from simple petrol, booze & cigarettes to guns, drugs and people.

This goes back maybe ten years: there is (was?) a law regarding the price of sugar in Malaysia. The lowest quality (every day) sugar is regulated, can't go above a certain price, all better qualities are not. So, something was going on in the world commodities market and for a while the price of sugar was cheaper there than in LOS, like around 1.5 baht/kilo, around 4 US pennies at the time. There were people overloading small boats and running the stuff up the coast. Sounded like a lot risk for so little reward IMO.