Thailand orders heightened vigilance after bomb scare in the south
BANGKOK : All Thai government agencies have been placed on high alert and urged to heighten vigilance following recent bomb threats in the southern tourist provinces of Phuket and Phang Nga.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said reports from relevant agencies suggested that the incidents were attempts to create unrest in the region.
The prime minister convened a meeting with the national police chief, the commander of the tourist police, and the permanent secretary of the tourism and sports ministry to assess the situation.
'Every precautionary measure has been implemented to ensure public safety and prevent harm. However, the government remains vigilant. The National Security Council will continue to oversee and intensify operations,' she said on social media.
Earlier this week, Thai media reported that a car travelling from Songkhla to Phuket was stopped in Phang Nga, where police found a homemade time bomb and arrested two suspects.
Suspicious devices were later found in Phuket and Krabi, including near the airport.
Though the devices caused no injuries and lacked destructive capabilities, they raised security concerns in the region.
Police bomb squads confirmed that the objects were designed to resemble explosive devices, likely intended to instil fear and disrupt normal activities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Pamela Ling disappearance: Home minister says police recorded statements from 48 witnesses, including four MACC officers
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — The police have called 48 witnesses, including four officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), to record statements to assist in the investigation of the kidnapping case of Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said close cooperation was also carried out with enforcement agencies, including the MACC, to ensure a thorough investigation. "Cooperation was made with related agencies, including the Immigration Department, for example, the vehicle said to be used (to kidnap Pamela) was found in the northern border of Bukit Kayu Hitam-Thailand. "This is only believed, not confirmed," he said while wrapping up the 13th Malaysia Plan motion for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today. He also said the police investigate every report of kidnapping or missing persons according to the standard operating procedures (SOP) set and based on the rule of law. Saifuddin Nasution said according to police data and records, in every 10 missing person cases, nine were successfully found, including those alive and those who had died. "Specifically, this missing person incident, in terms of data, does not give an alarming picture of the level (of public safety), but we cannot take a denial syndrome attitude because if it involves lives, it is important from the police perspective, and we use all our strength to overcome it," he said. Commenting on the issue of national border security, he said the authorities detected 71 illegal routes for smuggling activities along the Sarawak, Malaysia border with Kalimantan, Indonesia, including hot spots in Ba'kelalan, Lubuk Antu, and Tebedu. The government, he said, had approved an allocation of RM28 million to the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop seven additional security control posts, including Pos Raso 1 in Lundu, Pos Sapit in Padawan, and Pos Tepoi in Serian. "The government also approved an additional allocation of RM64.318 million under the special Sarawak border development allocation, which will be utilised by the General Operations Force (PGA) Brigade Sarawak for the implementation of 22 projects involving 14 non-physical projects and eight physical projects," he said. Saifuddin Nasution said, in addition, to strengthen border control in Sarawak, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) established another PGA Brigade Sarawak battalion, namely Battalion 23 in Seri Aman, as an addition to the existing three battalions, involving an increase of 320 personnel consisting of senior police officers, junior officers, and civil servants.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
30kg of cannabis found on navigation beacon near Thai border
Perlis customs director Ismail Hashim said the cannabis, worth over RM2.94 million, is believed to be destined for the Klang Valley and other markets. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The Perlis customs department says maritime navigation beacons are now being used as transit points for cannabis trafficking near the Malaysia-Thailand maritime border. Perlis customs director Ismail Hashim said four packages of cannabis weighing 30kg were recently found on a beacon located 1.5km off the Kuala Perlis coast, some 2km from the Malaysia-Thailand maritime border. In a Buletin TV3 report, Ismail said this marks the first time maritime navigation beacons, which are meant to guide vessels, were being used for cross-border smuggling activities. Ismail noted that the cannabis, worth over RM2.94 million, is believed to be destined for the Klang Valley and other markets. The case is being investigated for drug trafficking under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for the death penalty or 30 years' imprisonment and no less than 12 strokes of the rotan.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Thailand prepares to sue Cambodian leaders over border conflict
FILE PHOTO: This handout photo taken and released by Cambodia's Ministry of Labour on August 6, 2025 shows Cambodian migrant workers carrying their belongings as they returned from Thailand following border clashes through the Daung International Border Gate in Battambang province. While border negotiations with Cambodia are ongoing, the Thai government is taking action to address the impact of military aggression on Thai citizens and their property. - Cambodia's Ministry of Labour/AFP) BANGKOK: Thailand is preparing to take legal action against former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his son, current Prime Minister Hun Manet, on charges of using military force to violate Thai sovereignty. The move was announced by acting Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Vechayachai following a meeting of the National Security Council on Aug 18. He stated that while border negotiations with Cambodia are ongoing, the government is taking action to address the impact of military aggression on Thai citizens and their property. He explained that the Royal Thai Police and the Provincial Police Region 3 Command would serve as the central points for receiving complaints from both citizens and government agencies. All cases will be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General, which will act as the 'nation's lawyer' and oversee the lawsuits. Phumtham clarified that the legal action would be strictly a domestic matter under Thai law, not an international one. 'We will not be filing a case with the International Court of Justice because we do not accept its jurisdiction,' he stated. The acting Prime Minister justified the domestic approach, saying it was a necessary and appropriate measure to address attacks on Thai citizens and public property. He added that a failure to act could open officials up to charges of negligence. Phumtham warned that the lawsuits would be filed as 'cases of temporary detention,' meaning that arrest warrants would be served if the individuals named in the cases ever enter Thailand. When asked by reporters about the possibility of tracking the financial networks of Cambodian politicians in Thailand, including Hun Sen, Phumtham said that the matter would be considered on a case-by-case basis and that it was not an appropriate topic for public discussion. - The Nation/ANN
