Thailand: Twin bombings injure 40 in Pattani province (south) May 9

Event

At least 40 people were injured in twin explosions in the southern insurgency-plagued province of Pattani on Tuesday, May 9. The bombings occurred in a shopping center in Muang district. The first bomb went off at around 14:00 (local time) inside the Big C shopping center, prompting people to leave and gather outside. A second bomb then exploded in the crowded parking area. The casualty toll may rise in the coming hours.

Context

A separatist insurgency in Thailand's three Muslim-majority southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat has claimed more than 6800 lives since it erupted 13 years ago, with both militants and Thailand's military accused of human rights abuses. Low-intensity bombings and assassinations often occur in the area, which is heavily patrolled by soldiers and police. Thailand annexed the three southernmost Muslim Malay provinces more than a century ago and they have long chafed under rule from Bangkok.

Advice

Individuals present southern Thailand are advised to avoid the bomb site until the situation normalizes. As a reminder, most Western governments advise against nonessential travel to Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, as well as the province of Songkhla and areas along the Cambodian and Burmese borders due to the presence of armed militias.