Narathiwat: An attempt to plant a bomb targeting soldiers was thwarted after the perpetrator altered their plan, leading to a narrow escape. Authorities quickly cleared the area following the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) on a road leading to Air Cha Seng village in the Chanae district. The attack was believed to be aimed at a Narathiwat Task Force unit, but fortunately, the officers had changed their route, resulting in no injuries or fatalities.
According to Thai News Agency, the superintendent of Chanae Police Station led a team from the 4902 Ranger Company to the site where the IED had exploded. The device had been detonated the previous day on the road leading to the foothills of Ban Air Cha Seng, Moo 6, Dusongnyo Subdistrict, Chanae District, Narathiwat Province. Authorities discovered a bomb crater approximately 1 meter deep and 3 meters wide in the middle of the road, along with fragments of the IED. The explosive was constructed using a 25 kg picnic gas cylinder and was triggered by a battery with a long wire extending into the dense forest.
Initial reports suggest that the perpetrators intended to ambush a special task force from Narathiwat who were on a mission to deliver the Thai national flag to a private religious school in the area. However, on the day of the incident, the soldiers opted for a different route. It is suspected that the attack was orchestrated by members of an insurgent group aiming to ambush security personnel routinely.